title: Sex differences in gallbladder bile acid composition and hepatic steroid 12 alpha-hydroxylase activity in hamsters.
abstract: The gallbladder bile acid composition and the activity of the hepatic steroid 12 alpha-hydroxylase were determined in male and female hamsters. Cholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, and deoxycholic acid were the major bile acids in both sexes; in addition, 7-ketodeoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid were present. A sex-linked difference in the ratio of cholic acid (plus its metabolites) to chenodeoxycholic acid (plus its metabolite) was observed. The ratio was 1.93 +/- 0.39 in males and 2.74 +/- 0.54 in females. Another sex-linked difference was found in the activity of the 12 alpha-hydroxylase. The extent of the 12 alpha-hydroxylation of 7 alpha-hydroxycholest-4-en-3-one to yield 7 alpha, 12 alpha-dihydroxycholest-4-en-3-one was about two times greater in the microsomal suspension obtained from the liver of female hamsters than in that of male hamsters. A positive correlation between the 12 alpha-hydroxylase activity and the ratio of cholic acid/chenodeoxycholic acid was also observed. These results strongly support the proposal that the activity of the 12 alpha-hydroxylase is the major factor in determining the relative proportion of cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid formed from cholesterol in the liver.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000032:analysis*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000032:analysis*; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D012737:Sex Factors; D013253:Steroid 12-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D002784:Cholesterol; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases; D013253:Steroid 12-alpha-Hydroxylase