Effect of hypocholesterolemic doses of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol on cholesterol balance in liver and extrahepatic tissues.

This study was performed to investigate the effects of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol, a potent hypocholesterolemic agent at pharmacological doses, on cholesterol balance in the liver and extrahepatic tissues of the rat in vivo. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol (5...

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Main Authors: M Bertolotti, D K Spady
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 1996-01-01
Series:Journal of Lipid Research
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022227520391240
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author M Bertolotti
D K Spady
author_facet M Bertolotti
D K Spady
author_sort M Bertolotti
collection DOAJ
description This study was performed to investigate the effects of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol, a potent hypocholesterolemic agent at pharmacological doses, on cholesterol balance in the liver and extrahepatic tissues of the rat in vivo. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol (5 mg/kg per day s.c. for 5 days) or with 4-aminopyrazolo(3,4-d) pyrimidine (20 mg/kg per day i.p. for 3 days). Both drug regimens suppressed plasma total and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol by more than 80%. Analysis of the kinetic parameters of low density lipoprotein transport did not show increased receptor activity in extrahepatic tissues during either treatment. 17 alpha-Ethinyl estradiol significantly increased low density lipoprotein tissue spaces and clearance rates in the liver, with a 5-fold increase in low density lipoprotein-receptor activity, whereas 4-aminopyrazolo(3,4-d)pyrimidine suppressed hepatic transport of low density lipoprotein probably due to a nospecific toxic effect. Treatment with 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol markedly enhanced the hepatic expression of low density lipoprotein-receptor protein and mRNA despite a 7-fold increase in hepatic cholesteryl ester levels. Finally, treatment with both drugs increased cholesterol synthesis in several extrahepatic tissues, such as adrenals, ovaries, small bowel, and spleen. These findings confirm that 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol at pharmacological doses markedly increases synthesis and expression of low density lipoprotein-receptor in the liver. Hypocholesterolemia, whether induced by activation of low density lipoprotein-receptors or by other mechanisms, fails to up-regulate low density lipoprotein transport in extrahepatic tissues, which rather respond by increasing local sterol synthesis. This suggests the occurrence of separate regulatory mechanisms for low density lipoprotein transport and cholesterol synthesis.
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spelling doaj.art-0ac4cdc2500d4144af246a59a348b3122022-12-21T20:44:14ZengElsevierJournal of Lipid Research0022-22751996-01-0137818121822Effect of hypocholesterolemic doses of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol on cholesterol balance in liver and extrahepatic tissues.M Bertolotti0D K Spady1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas 75235-8887, USA.Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas 75235-8887, USA.This study was performed to investigate the effects of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol, a potent hypocholesterolemic agent at pharmacological doses, on cholesterol balance in the liver and extrahepatic tissues of the rat in vivo. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol (5 mg/kg per day s.c. for 5 days) or with 4-aminopyrazolo(3,4-d) pyrimidine (20 mg/kg per day i.p. for 3 days). Both drug regimens suppressed plasma total and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol by more than 80%. Analysis of the kinetic parameters of low density lipoprotein transport did not show increased receptor activity in extrahepatic tissues during either treatment. 17 alpha-Ethinyl estradiol significantly increased low density lipoprotein tissue spaces and clearance rates in the liver, with a 5-fold increase in low density lipoprotein-receptor activity, whereas 4-aminopyrazolo(3,4-d)pyrimidine suppressed hepatic transport of low density lipoprotein probably due to a nospecific toxic effect. Treatment with 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol markedly enhanced the hepatic expression of low density lipoprotein-receptor protein and mRNA despite a 7-fold increase in hepatic cholesteryl ester levels. Finally, treatment with both drugs increased cholesterol synthesis in several extrahepatic tissues, such as adrenals, ovaries, small bowel, and spleen. These findings confirm that 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol at pharmacological doses markedly increases synthesis and expression of low density lipoprotein-receptor in the liver. Hypocholesterolemia, whether induced by activation of low density lipoprotein-receptors or by other mechanisms, fails to up-regulate low density lipoprotein transport in extrahepatic tissues, which rather respond by increasing local sterol synthesis. This suggests the occurrence of separate regulatory mechanisms for low density lipoprotein transport and cholesterol synthesis.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022227520391240
spellingShingle M Bertolotti
D K Spady
Effect of hypocholesterolemic doses of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol on cholesterol balance in liver and extrahepatic tissues.
Journal of Lipid Research
title Effect of hypocholesterolemic doses of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol on cholesterol balance in liver and extrahepatic tissues.
title_full Effect of hypocholesterolemic doses of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol on cholesterol balance in liver and extrahepatic tissues.
title_fullStr Effect of hypocholesterolemic doses of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol on cholesterol balance in liver and extrahepatic tissues.
title_full_unstemmed Effect of hypocholesterolemic doses of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol on cholesterol balance in liver and extrahepatic tissues.
title_short Effect of hypocholesterolemic doses of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol on cholesterol balance in liver and extrahepatic tissues.
title_sort effect of hypocholesterolemic doses of 17 alpha ethinyl estradiol on cholesterol balance in liver and extrahepatic tissues
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022227520391240
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