scholarly journals The biological conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol into cholesterol and comments on the reduction of double bonds

1968 ◽  
Vol 106 (4) ◽  
pp. 803-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Wilton ◽  
K A Munday ◽  
S. J. M. Skinner ◽  
M Akhtar

It is shown that the 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase-catalysed conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol into cholesterol (II), with a 105000g microsomal pellet of rat liver in the presence of [4−3H2]NADPH, results in the transfer of radioactivity to the 7α-position of cholesterol. When the conversion is carried out in the presence of tritiated water the label is introduced exclusively at the 8β-position. However, when the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol into cholesterol is performed with a 500g supernatant of rat liver homogenate the radioactivity is incorporated at both the 7α- and the 8β-position. Evidence is provided for the presence of an enzyme system in the 500g supernatant that catalyses an equilibration of hydrogen atoms between those at the 4-position of NADPH and those of water. The work with stereospecifically labelled cofactors shows that both the equilibrating system and the 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase utilize the 4B-hydrogen atom of NADPH. In the light of these results a mechanism for the reduction of carbon–carbon double bonds is discussed.

1979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda J Beecroft

Clotting assays are not easily applied to turbid solutions such as microsomal fractions. With the development of chromogenic substrates, the esterolytic activity of prothrombin related material can be assayed biochemically in such systems. Liver fractions were prepared by differential centrifugaron. Liver homogenate was centrifuged at 10,000 g. for 10 minutes to yield supernatant 1.Supernatant 1 was further centrifuged at 105,000 g for 60 minutes to yield the microsomal pellet and supernatant 2. Taipan and Echis carinatus snake vanoms were used to generate esterolytic activity in the various liver fractions. In all fractions the esterolytic activity generated by E. carinatus venom was greater than that generated by Taipan Venom. Both assays indicated that the microsomal pellet had similar esterolytic activity to supernatant 2. When liver fractions were prepared from warfarin treated rats, the assays revealed that the relative proportions of prothrombin related material in the fractions had altered. The esterolytic activity of the microsomal fraction was found to be greatly increased whilst supernatant 2 had no detectable activity.Warfarin treated rats have greatly decreased levels of prothrombin in the plasma due to inhibition of vitamin K-dependent carboxylation in the liver. It is suggested that the lack of prothrombin in the plasma reflects the lack of soluble prothrombin in supernatant 2, and the concomitant build-up of precursor forms bound to the microsomes.


1969 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 885-892 ◽  
Author(s):  
L J Goad ◽  
G. F. Gibbons ◽  
Loretta M. Bolger ◽  
H H Rees ◽  
T W Goodwin

1. Incubation of a rat liver homogenate with 3R-[2−14C,(5R)-5−3H1]mevalonic acid gave cholesterol with 3H/14C atomic ratio 6:5. 2. Conversion of the labelled cholesterol into 3β-acetoxy-6-nitrocholest-5-ene or cholest-4-ene-3,6-dione resulted in the loss of one tritium atom from C-6. 3. These results show that during cholesterol biosynthesis the 6α-hydrogen atom of a precursor sterol is eliminated during formation of the C-5–C-6 double bond. 4. Incorporation of 3R-[2−14C,(5R)-5−3H1]mevalonic acid into the sterols of larch (Larix decidua) leaves gave labelled cycloartenol and β-sitosterol with 3H/14C atomic ratios 6:6 and 6:5 respectively. 5. One tritium atom was lost from C-6 on conversion of the labelled β-sitosterol into either 3β-acetoxy-6-nitrostigmast-5-ene or stigmast-4-ene-3,6-dione, demonstrating that formation of the C-5–C-6 double bond of phytosterols also involves the elimination of the 6α-hydrogen atom of a precursor sterol. 6. The 3R-[2−14C,(5R)-5−3H1]mevalonic acid was also incorporated by larch (L. decidua) leaves into a sterol that co-chromatographed with 28-isofucosterol. Confirmation that the radioactivity was associated with 28-isofucosterol was obtained by co-crystallization with carrier 28-isofucosterol and ozonolysis of the acetate to give radioactively labelled 24-oxocholesteryl acetate. 7. The significance of these results to phytosterol biosynthesis is discussed.


1970 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 539-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Akhtar ◽  
A. D. Rahimtula ◽  
D. C. Wilton

The synthesis of [7α-3H]lanosterol is described. It is shown that in the conversion of [7α-3H,26,27-14C2]lanosterol into cholesterol by a rat liver system, it is the 7β-hydrogen atom that is predominantly removed. On the other hand, the conversion of doubly labelled lanosterol into ergosterol by whole yeast cells results in the loss of the 7α-hydrogen atom. These results therefore suggest that the C-7 hydrogen atoms with opposite stereochemistry are labilized by the rat liver and the yeast Δ8–Δ7 steroid isomerases.


1972 ◽  
Vol 180 (1059) ◽  
pp. 125-146 ◽  

Lanosterol(4,4,14α-trimethyl-cholesta-8,24-dien-3β-ol) has been proposed as the primary product of the cyclization of 2,3-epoxysqualene in animal tissues. Enzymic conversion of lanosterol to cholesterol requires reduction of the ∆ 24 double bond, removal of the three extra methyl groups, and shift of the nuclear double bond from ∆ 8 position to the ∆ 5 position. Until very recently, all of the proposed sterol intermediates in the biosynthesis of cholesterol possessed nuclear double bonds in the ∆ 8 , ∆ 7 , ∆ 5,7 or ∆ 5 positions. Consideration of possible mechanisms for the removal of the methyl group at carbon atom 14 of sterol precursors led to our demonstration of the presence of cholest-8(14)-en-3β-ol in animal tissues and establishment of the convertibility of this sterol to cholesterol in rat liver homogenate preparations. Reports (from other laboratories) of the stereospecific loss of the 15α-hydrogen of lanosterol upon enzymic conversion to cholesterol led to the demonstration of the convertibility of cholesta-8,14-dien-3β-ol, cholesta-7,14-dien-3β-ol, 14α-methyl-cholest-7-en-3β,15-diol, cholest-8(14)-en-3β,15α-diol, and cholest-8(14)-en-3β,15β-diol to cholesterol in rat liver preparations. We have recently developed chromatographic methods permitting the resolution of all of the C 27 sterols in question. The results of recent experiments directed towards an understanding of the detailed metabolism of these compounds are presented herein.


1971 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Watkinson ◽  
D. C. Wilton ◽  
K. A. Munday ◽  
M. Akhtar

It was shown that 100μg quantities of 4,4′-dimethyl[2-3H2]cholesta-8,14-dien-3β-ol (IIIa), tritiated cholesta-8,14-dien-3β-ol, 4,4′-dimethyl[2-3H2]cholesta-7,14-dien-3β-ol, dihydro[2-3H2]lanosterol and [24-3H]lanosterol were converted by a 10000g supernatant of rat liver homogenate into cholesterol in 17%, 54%, 6%, 9.5% and 24% yields respectively. From an incubation of dihydro[3α-3H]lanosterol with a rat liver homogenate in the presence of a trap up to 38% of the radioactivity was found to be associated with a fraction that was unambiguously shown to be 4,4′-dimethylcholesta-8,14-dien-3β-ol. Another related compound, 4,4′-dimethylcholesta-7,14-dien-3β-ol was also shown to be equally effective in its ability to trap compound (IIIa) from an incubation of dihydro[3α-3H]lanosterol. The mechanism of the further conversion of the compound (IIIa) into cholesterol occurred by the reduction of the 14,15-double bond and involved the addition of a hydrogen atom from the medium to C-15 and another from the 4-position of NADPH to C-14. Two possible mechanisms for the removal of the 14α-methyl group in sterol biosynthesis are discussed.


1969 ◽  
Vol 111 (5) ◽  
pp. 757-761 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Akhtar ◽  
I. A. Watkinson ◽  
A. D. Rahimtula ◽  
D. C. Wilton ◽  
K. A. Munday

The biosynthesis of cholesterol from squalene and tritiated water is described. Degradation of the cholesterol indicated that C-15 may be involved in cholesterol biosynthesis. In accordance with this view it is shown that in the conversion of [2RS−3H2]mevalonic acid into cholesterol one of the hydrogen atoms at C-15 is removed. A mechanism for the removal of the 14α-methyl group in steroid biosynthesis that involves the labilization of a C-15 hydrogen atom is outlined. In accordance with the requirement of this scheme it is shown that 4,4′-dimethyl-cholesta-8,14-dien-3β-ol is converted into cholesterol.


1967 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 1187-1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Marsh Dewhurst ◽  
M Akhtar

Convenient syntheses of 6β-tritiated Δ7-cholestenol and 3α-tritiated Δ7-cholestene-3β,5α-diol are described. It was shown that the conversion of 6β-tritiated Δ7-cholestenol into cholesterol is accompanied by the complete retention of label. It was unambiguously established that the overall reaction leading to the introduction of the double bond in the 5,6-position in cholesterol occurs via a cis-elimination involving the 5α- and 6α-hydrogen atoms and that during this process the 6β-hydrogen atom remains completely undisturbed. Metabolic studies with 3α-tritiated Δ7-cholestene-3β,5α-diol revealed that under anaerobic conditions the compound is not converted into cholesterol. This observation, coupled with the previous work of Slaytor & Bloch (1965), is interpreted to exclude a hydroxylation–dehydration mechanism for the origin of the 5,6-double bond in cholesterol. It was also shown that under aerobic conditions 3α-tritiated Δ7-cholestene-3β,5α-diol is efficiently converted into cholesterol and that this conversion occurs through the intermediacy of 7-dehydrocholesterol. Cumulative experimental evidence presented in this paper and elsewhere is used to suggest that the 5,6-double bond in cholesterol originates through an oxygen-dependent dehydrogenation process and a hypothetical mechanism for this and related reactions is outlined.


2019 ◽  
Vol 484 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-60
Author(s):  
D. A. Indejtsev ◽  
E. V. Osipova

Hydrogen atom behavior in pure aluminum is described by ab initio modelling. All main energy characteristics of the system consisting of hydrogen atoms in a periodic aluminum crystal are found.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (13) ◽  
pp. 3861
Author(s):  
Guo-Ming Dong ◽  
Hang Yu ◽  
Li-Bin Pan ◽  
Shu-Rong Ma ◽  
Hui Xu ◽  
...  

Timosaponin BII is one of the most abundant Anemarrhena saponins and is in a phase II clinical trial for the treatment of dementia. However, the pharmacological activity of timosaponin BII does not match its low bioavailability. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of gut microbiota on timosaponin BII metabolism. We found that intestinal flora had a strong metabolic effect on timosaponin BII by HPLC-MS/MS. At the same time, seven potential metabolites (M1-M7) produced by rat intestinal flora were identified using HPLC/MS-Q-TOF. Among them, three structures identified are reported in gut microbiota for the first time. A comparison of rat liver homogenate and a rat liver microsome incubation system revealed that the metabolic behavior of timosaponin BII was unique to the gut microbiota system. Finally, a quantitative method for the three representative metabolites was established by HPLC-MS/MS, and the temporal relationship among the metabolites was initially clarified. In summary, it is suggested that the metabolic characteristics of gut microbiota may be an important indicator of the pharmacological activity of timosaponin BII, which can be applied to guide its application and clinical use in the future.


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