title: Metabolism of mevalonate in rats and man not leading to sterols.
abstract: C-5 of mevalonate appears as C0-2 in the breath of rats and men almost immediately after administration either by injection or by mouth. Adult rats exhaled up to 6.5% of a dose of RS-[5-14C]mevalonate (13% of the utilizable R-enantiomer) in the breath in 100 min. The 14-C02 was not derived either from the matabolism of cholesterol biosynthesized from [5-14C]mevalonate or from the metabolism of the unnatural S-enantiomer of mevalonate. The amount of 14-C02 expired in the breath was the same whether the [5-14C]mevalonate was given intravenously or in a drink of water to man. One normocholesterolemic man dissipated 12%, a mildly non-familial hypercholesterolemic man dissipated 10%, and a familial hypercholesterolemic man dissipated 7% of a dose of [5-14C]mevalonate in 24 hours (calculated as a per cent of the R-enantiomer). The observations support the hypothesis of the existence of a metabolic shunt of intermediates of sterol biosynthesis, derived from mevalonate, not leading to sterols.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000097:blood; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008798:Mevalonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D051381:Rats; D013261:Sterols / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D013261:Sterols; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002784:Cholesterol; D008798:Mevalonic Acid