In Vivo Incorporation of 14 C into Liver and Kidney Sterols from Parenterally Administered [2- 14 C]d,l-Mevalonic Acid 1

Abstract

Summary

Twenty-four hr after the iv administration of [2-¹⁴C]d,l-mevalonic acid to dogs and to sheep, the specific radioactivity of digitonin precipitatible sterol expressed as cholesterol in the kidney cortex was respectively 10.0- and 5.6-fold greater than the specific radioactivity of plasma cholesterol. Cholesterol of the kidney medulla, by contrast, attained a specific radioactivity which was 20% and 10% less than that of plasma cholesterol. Parenteral administration of [2-¹⁴C]d,l-mevalonic acid to gerbils and to hamsters resulted in kidney cortical sterol specific radioactivities, 24 hr after the mevalonic acid had been given, which were, respectively, 34- and 18.7-fold greater than the specific radioactivity of liver cholesterol. Hamster kidney medullary cholesterol, at the same time interval attained a specific radioactivity 30% less than that of liver cholesterol. The apparent half life of the ¹⁴C-labeled kidney cortical sterols was 4.3 days in gerbils and 5.5 days in hamsters while the apparent half life of hamster liver cholesterol was 10.8 days.