Studies of the Metabolism of 5α-Cholesta-8,14-dien-3β-ol and 5α-Cholesta-7,14-dien-3β-ol in Rat Liver Homogenate Preparations

Abstract [3α-3H]Cholesta-7,14-dien-3β-ol has been prepared by chemical synthesis and incubated with rat liver homogenate preparations. Under aerobic conditions, the incorporation of label into cholesterol, cholest-7-en-3β-ol, and cholest-8(14)-en-3β-ol was shown. Under anaerobic conditions, labeled cholest-8(14)-en-3β-ol and cholest-7-en-3β-ol were formed. A method for the separation of the acetate derivatives of cholesta-8,14-dien-3β-ol, cholesta-7,14-dien-3β-ol, and 7-dehydrocholesterol has been described. Employing this method, the convertibility of labeled cholesta-8, 14-dien-3β-ol to cholesta-7,14-dien-3β-ol upon incubation with washed rat liver microsomes has been investigated. Significant conversion of the Δ8,14-sterol to the Δ7,14-sterol was not observed.