title: Hydrophilic 7 beta-hydroxy bile acids, lovastatin, and cholestyramine are ineffective in the treatment of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.
abstract: We compared the effect of treatments with hydrophilic bile acids (ursodeoxycholic and ursocholic acids), cholestyramine, and lovastatin versus chenodeoxycholic acid in 4 patients with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX). Bile acids and bile alcohols in plasma, bile, and urine before and after treatment were quantitated by gas-liquid chromatography. Untreated, all patients showed abnormal biliary bile acid composition: cholic acid (72.7%) and chenodeoxycholic acid (6.2%), and polyhydroxylated C(27)-bile alcohols (10.0%), and elevated plasma cholestanol levels. Treatment with hydrophobic chenodeoxycholic acid inhibited abnormal bile acid synthesis (virtual disappearance of C(27)-bile alcohols from plasma, bile, and urine and marked reduction of plasma cholestanol levels). Hydrophilic ursodeoxycholic and ursocholic acids did not inhibit abnormal bile acid synthesis, while cholestyramine increased abnormal bile acid synthesis (continued increased formation of polyhydroxylated C(27)-bile alcohols and further elevation of plasma cholestanol levels). Lovastatin did not affect abnormal bile acid synthesis or reduce plasma cholestanol levels. The results demonstrate that impaired side-chain oxidation in bile acid synthesis due to mutations of Cyp27 results in increased formation of polyhydroxylated C(27)-bile alcohols and cholestanol in CTX. Hydrophobic chenodeoxycholic acid, but not cholestyramine, lovastatin, or hydrophilic 7beta-hydroxy acids, inhibited the abnormal synthetic pathway. The role of chenodeoxycholic acid in downregulating abnormal bile acid synthesis in CTX is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Ashok K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Batta
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salen
authors.forename: G Stephen
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Tint
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001646:Bile / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002635:Chenodeoxycholic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002777:Cholestanols / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002793:Cholic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019294:Xanthomatosis, Cerebrotendinous / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D002777:Cholestanols; D002793:Cholic Acids; D002635:Chenodeoxycholic Acid; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D002784:Cholesterol; D008148:Lovastatin; C030712:ursocholic acid