Metabolic studies on scorbutic guinea pigs. 3. Catabolism of [4-14C]cholesterol in vivo and in vitro

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Abstract
The incorporation of [4-C14] cholesterol into the bile acid fraction was depressed in scorbutic guinea pigs in vivo. Both in the liver and in the gall-bladder bile from scorbutic guinea pigs the bile acid fraction had less radio-activity in it compared with that from the pair-fed animals after the injection of [4-14] cholesterol. A diminished incorporation of [4-C14] cholesterol into bile acids in the faeces and intestinal washings was observed in scorbutic guinea pigs. A greater excretion of radioactive cholesterol by these scorbutic animals was also observed. The catabolism of [4-C14] cholesterol in vitro also indicated a diminished conversion of cholesterol into the bile acid fraction by liver mitochondria from scorbutic guinea pigs. The addition of ascorbic acid in vitro enhanced the formation of bile acids from [4-C14]-cholesterol by mitochondrial preparations from livers of both scorbutic and pair-fed guinea pigs. The stimulating effect of ascorbic acid was more pro-minent with the mitochondria from the scorbutic animals than with those from the controls.