Lipid Biosynthesis from DL (2‐14C) Mevalonic Acid in Intact Mice and Rabbits

Abstract DL‐mevalonate‐2‐14C was administered parenterally to 2 rabbits and 5 groups of mice. In the rabbits the amount of labelled material recovered in the non‐saponifiable lipids of the kidneys exceeded that of the liver. Most of the renal radioactivity was found in the squalene, lanosterol and methostenol fractions whereas the major part of the labelled material in the liver was present as radioactive cholesterol. The distribution of radioactivity within the kidney and the liver in the mice varied with the size of the administered dose. The smaller the dose, the larger the proportion of label recovered in the kidneys. In all experiments most of the radioactivity of the liver was transformed to cholesterol. The conversion of squalene to cholesterol proceeded more slowly in the kidneys and 30 min after the administration of the mevalonate substantial amounts of radioactivity was recovered as labelled squalene and lanosterol. The importance of circulating mevalonate as substrate in the cholesterol synthesis of the kidney will be discussed.