Oxidation of cholesterol by rat liver mitochondria: Effect of thyroidectomy

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Abstract
Normal and thyroidectomized rats were maintained on normal diets and on diets containing 0.3% N‐propylthiouracil. The normal rats on normal diets had significantly lower serum cholesterol levels than did any of the other groups. Liver cholesterol levels were elevated only in the thyroidectomized rats fed normal diet. The hypercholesteremic effect of N‐propylthiouracil observed in the thyroidectomized rats appears to be due to release of liver cholesterol.Liver mitochondrial preparations from all four groups of rats oxidized cholesterol‐26‐14C and sodium octanoate‐1‐14C to 14CO2 to the same extent. The data further support the hypothesis that the effect of thyroid on cholesterol degradation is mediated at the level of nuclear hydroxylation.