Separation, quantitation and distribution of dolichol and dolichyl phosphate in rat and human tissues

Two procedures for quantitative determination of dolichol were studied and these were applied to analyze tissue and subcellular distribution. In the first procedure the dolichols were oxidized with Cr2O3 and reduced with NaB3H4. The radioactivity in the individual dolichols was measured using reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography. In the second procedure, dolichols were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. For determination of dolichyl phosphates the lipid extract was subjected to acid and alkaline hydrolysis, and after hydrolysis with acid phosphatase the distribution was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Recovery was monitored by the addition of dolichol D15 and D23 phosphate to the homogenate. Rat spleen had the highest dolichol content (114 micrograms/g) followed by lower content in rat liver and brain. The distribution pattern was similar in all organs, with 18 and 19 isoprene residues as dominating components. Human organs contain considerably higher concentrations of dolichol, with the 19 and 20 isoprene residues as the main components. In rat liver, outer mitochondrial and Golgi membranes, lysosomes and plasma membranes contain considerable amounts of dolichol. A drastic increase in dolichol content was observed in rat liver hyperplastic nodules while human liver cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma showed a marked decrease in dolichol. In the latter case, the distribution pattern was also changed. Of the total amount of dolichol present in the tissues, 2% was phosphorylated in human liver, 10% in human testis and 18% in rat liver. In rat liver mitochondria and in microsomes 4 and 31%, respectively, of the polyprenols were in activated form. The results demonstrated that dolichyl phosphate and dolichol concentrations were regulated by different mechanisms and that the two forms possessed an independent distribution.