Cholesterol metabolism: use of D2O for determination of synthesis rate in cell culture.

Abstract

Cholesterol synthesis in cell culture in the presence of D2O yields a spectrum of enriched molecules having a relative abundance that indicates random substitution of deuterium for hydrogen. Quantitation of the absolute rate of cholesterol synthesis is obtained by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Mevinolin and 26-hydroxycholesterol both decrease cholesterol synthesis rate but have a discordant effect on HMG-CoA reductase activity.