Journal of Lipid Research, Vol 23, 770-773, Copyright © 1982 by Lipid Research, Inc.
Hepatic cholesterol metabolism in obesity: activity of microsomal 3- hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase
B Angelin, L Backman, K Einarsson, L Eriksson and S Ewerth
Obesity is often associated with an elevated total body cholesterol
synthesis. In order to evaluate the role of hepatic cholesterogenesis in
this phenomenon, we assayed the rate-limiting step in cholesterol
biosynthesis, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase in
the microsomal fraction of liver biopsies obtained operatively from ten
morbidly obese (relative body weight greater than 155%) subjects. Eighteen
normal-weight patients (relative body weight less than 120%) with
cholesterol gallstones served as controls. Hepatic HMG CoA reductase
activity, expressed as pmol X min-1 X mg protein-1, was 60% higher in the
obese subjects compared to the gallstone patients (P less than 0.05).
Microsomal protein concentration was lower in the obese patients, so that
enzyme activity calculated per gram liver was not significantly different
between the two groups. However, mevalonate formation, expressed in terms
of total organ activity, was higher in the obese than in the nonobese
group. The results suggest that the liver is a major contributor to the
increased cholesterol production seen in obesity.
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