Effect of bacteriohopane-32-ol on lipid metabolism in Hep G2 cells

To investigate the biological activity of the hopane group of pentacyclic triterpenes, the effect of bacteriohopane-32-old (Monol) on lipid synthesis and secretion was determined using Hep G2 cells. Despite its structural similarity to 25-hydroxycholesterol, Monol did not affect free and esterified cholesterol synthesis determined by the incorporation from [14C]acetate. Monol reduced the phospholipid secretion from Hep G2 cells without affecting cellular phospholipid synthesis from [3H]glycerol. It also decreased the secretion of apolipoprotein B. These results suggest that the Monol-induced reduction in phospholipid secretion is due to a decrease in the number of lipoprotein particles secreted from Hep G2 cells.