title: Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase and the modulation of microsomal cholesterol content by the nonspecific lipid transfer protein.
abstract: The influence of membrane cholesterol content on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMG-CoA reductase, EC 1.1.1.34) in rat liver microsomes was investigated. Microsomes were enriched in cholesterol by incubation with egg phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol vesicles and the nonspecific lipid transfer protein from rat liver. By this method, the microsomal cholesterol content was 2.5-fold enhanced up to final concentrations of 140 nmol cholesterol per mg microsomal protein. In another experiment, microsomes isolated from rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet were depleted of cholesterol by incubation with egg phosphatidylcholine vesicles and the transfer protein. Both cholesterol enrichment and depletion had virtually no effect on the microsomal HMG-CoA reductase activity. In another set of experiments, normal rat liver microsomes were incubated with human serum, resulting in a rise of microsomal cholesterol content. This was reflected in an increase of acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase activity but failed to have an effect on HMG-CoA reductase.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D002784:Cholesterol; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases