Effect of local anesthetics on sterol biosynthesis and sterol esterification in rat liver in vitro

Various local anesthetics were found to inhibit sterol esterification by acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.26) in the microsomal fraction from rat (and rabbit) liver and to inhibit sterologenesis in rat liver slices. The enzyme was assayed in isolated microsomes by following the incorporation of [1-14C]oleoyl-CoA into steryl esters; the order of inhibitory potency on the enzyme was dibucaine > benzocaine > tetracaine > lidocaine > procaine. In liver slices, the incorporation of labeled acetate and mevalonate into C27 sterols, digitonin-precipitable sterols, and squalene was inhibited in the order dibucaine > tetracaine > lidocaine. A comparison of incorportion patterns from labeled acetate and mevalonate suggest that inhibition of sterologenesis occurs at more than one post-mevalonate step in the pathway.