Cholesterolgenesis In-Vitro From Ethanol

Ethanol is a precursor for cholesterolgenesis. The reaction route of ethanol's conversion to cholesterol is through acetate and thence to cholesterol. The rate of cholesterolgenesis from ethanol is equal to the rate of cholesterolgenesis from acetate. However, ethanol at 3.44 × 10 −1 M is a noncompetitive inhibitor of cholesterolgenesis from acetate; but ethanol at 1.0 × 10 −3 M decreases the specific activity of 14 C-acetate and thus decreases the incorporation of 14 C-acetate substrate into cholesterol. Injection of ethanol into rats 1 hr before the animals were sacrificed resulted in a decreased incorporation in vitro of 14 C-acetate and 14 C-ethanol into cholesterol, which is a resultant of decreasing the specific activities of the 14 C-acetate and 14 C-ethanoI substrates used to study cholesterolgenesis in vitro . 14 C-mevalonate incorporation into cholesterol is not affected by ethanol administration in vivo . Disulfiram increases the rate of cholesterolgenesis in vitro from 14 C-acetate. Acetaldehyde decreases 14 C-acetate incorporation into cholesterol. 4