The effect of L-asparaginase on cholesterol biosynthesis

The liver from the Wistar rat was incubated either in the solution of 1 micro Ci acetate-1-14C or 0.1 micro Ci mevalonic acid-2-14C, and incorporations of radioactivity to phospholipid and cholesterol were estimated respectively. The incorporation of labeled acetate to cholesterol in the L-asparaginase-treated rat was significantly lower than that in the controls. However, there were no differences of the incorporation into the mevalonic acid between the study group and the controls. These results suggest that the inhibitory mechanism may exist between the steps of acetate and mevalonic acid.