FATTY ACID INHIBITION OF CHOLESTEROL SYNTHESIS
Fatty acids inhibit cholesterol synthesis by rat liver homogenates. Inhibition occurs with acids containing either an even or an odd number of carbon atoms in the chain, and with saturated and unsaturated acids, the inhibition increasing with the degree of unsaturation of the acid. In the case of acids with an even number of carbon atoms the inhibition increases with chain length to a maximum at 12 carbons after which a rapid decrease occurs. The presence of fatty acid during cholesterol synthesis increases the acetate incorporated into fatty acids to a slight extent. This increase is small compared with the decrease in the amount incorporated into cholesterol. A possible mechanism for the inhibition is discussed.