On the mechanism for the regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase and of acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase by free cholesterol.

The administration of mevalonic acid to rats by intravenous injection resulted in a dose- and time-dependent increase in the activity of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase in the liver microsomal fraction, a decrease in the microsomal activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase and no significant change in the activity of acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase or in the concentration of free and of esterified cholesterol in the liver microsomal fraction. However, the increased hepatic cholesterogenesis that follows the injection of mevalonic acid resulted in an increase of the size of the intracellular pool of cholesterol that is in the environment of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase and acts as substrate for cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase. The administration of mevalonic acid to rats by stomach tube resulted in an increase in the activity of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase and of acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase and in the concentration of cholesterol esters in the liver microsomal fraction, while there was a considerable decrease in the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase.