title: Farnesol as a regulator of HMG-CoA reductase degradation: characterization and role of farnesyl pyrophosphatase.
abstract: We have recently reported that the isoprenoid compound farnesol accelerates degradation of the cholesterologenic enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, when added to cultured cells. We have thus proposed that farnesol is a required nonsterol regulator of this degradation event (T. E. Meigs, D. S. Roseman, and R. D. Simoni, 1996, J. Biol. Chem. 271, 7916-7922). In this report, we have studied the enzyme farnesyl pyrophosphatase (FPPase) in Chinese hamster ovary cells. We demonstrate that FPPase activity increases under conditions of increased metabolic flow through the isoprenoid pathway. Also, we show that a nonhydrolyzable analog of farnesyl pyrophosphate, an isoprenoid (phosphinylmethyl)phosphonate, inhibits FPPase in vitro, and when added to cells this inhibitor blocks the mevalonate-dependent, sterol-induced degradation of HMG-CoA reductase. Furthermore, exogenous farnesol overcomes the effect of this inhibitor. These results suggest an isoprenoid-mediated regulatory mechanism governing intracellular farnesol production and support the hypothesis that farnesol is a nonsterol regulator of reductase degradation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5020, USA.
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Meigs
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Simoni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005204:Farnesol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008798:Mevalonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000494:pharmacology; D010721:Phosphinic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D011755:Pyrophosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D063065:Organophosphonates; D010721:Phosphinic Acids; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C108149:SQ 32709; D005204:Farnesol; D004492:Edetic Acid; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D011755:Pyrophosphatases; C108148:farnesyl pyrophosphatase; D008274:Magnesium; D008798:Mevalonic Acid