Metabolism of plasma mevalonate in rats and humans.

A circadian rhythm in plasma mevalonate was identified in human subjects. This variation, over a 5-fold range, is paralleled by a rhythm in urinary excretion. No such diurnal change in plasma mevalonate was observed in schedule-fed, light-cycled rats, despite the presence of a pronounced rhythm in l...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: R R Kopito, S B Weinstock, L E Freed, D M Murray, H Brunengraber
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 1982-05-01
Series:Journal of Lipid Research
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022227520381219
Description
Summary:A circadian rhythm in plasma mevalonate was identified in human subjects. This variation, over a 5-fold range, is paralleled by a rhythm in urinary excretion. No such diurnal change in plasma mevalonate was observed in schedule-fed, light-cycled rats, despite the presence of a pronounced rhythm in liver HMG-Coa reductase and sterol synthesis. A linear correlation was found between liver HMG-CoA reductase activity and the rate of hepatic sterol synthesis. Sterol synthesis accounted for 59% of the HMG-CoA reductase activity. A 4-fold increase in plasma mevalonate following bilateral nephrectomy did not feed back on liver HMG-CoA reductase. Turnover rates for circulating R- and S-mevalonate were determined by the kinetics of tritiated tracers. S-Mevalonate exhibited first-order kinetics with a T 1/2 of 19 to 23 min, while R-mevalonate kinetics could be resolved into two phases with half-lives of 9 and 42 min. The renal uptake of circulating mevalonate was measured by the initial rate of increase in plasma mevalonate immediately following bilateral nephrectomy; this was confirmed by determination of the renal arterio-venous difference. This value ranges between 500 and 600 pmol/min for a 250-g rat.
ISSN:0022-2275