Conversion of 22S-hydroxy-cholesterol and its effect on the metabolism of other sterols in rat adrenal cells and bovine adrenal mitochondria

This study provides evidence that 22S-OH-cholesterol inhibits the conversion of 25-OH-cholesterol but has no effect on the conversion of 22R-OH-cholesterol. The latter sterol is an intermediate in the cholesterol side-chain cleavage, whereas for the conversion of 25-OH-cholesterol into pregnenolone the complete side-chain cleaving enzyme system is necessary. This complements a previous study in which it was shown, that 22S-OH-cholesterol has an inhibitory effect on the ACTH-induced conversion of cholesterol into corticosterone in isolated rat adrenal cells. The available evidence thus suggests an inhibition by 22S-OH-cholesterol of the first step in the cholesterol side-chain cleavage. The results, obtained from the experiments with rat adrenal cells and with bovine adrenal mitochondria, allow the hypothesis, that a causal relationship exists between conversion of 22S-OH-cholesterol and production of corticosterone, respectively pregnenolone. We conclude, that 22S-OH-cholesterol is a substrate for steroid production in the adrenal cell. This sterol inhibits the ACTH-stimulated corticosterone production. The site of this inhibition is located at one of the first steps in the cholesterol side-chain cleavage, probably the binding of cholesterol to the cytochrome P450-complex.