J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 261, Issue 16, 7127-7135, 06, 1986
Inhibition of human leukocyte 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity by ascorbic acid. An effect mediated by the free radical monodehydroascorbate
HJ Harwood Jr, YJ Greene and PW Stacpoole
3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity in
microsomes isolated from cultured lymphoid (IM-9) cells or freshly isolated
human leukocytes was markedly decreased by either ascorbic acid or its
oxidized derivative, dehydroascorbate. Inhibition of IM-9 leukocyte HMG-CoA
reductase activity was log linear between 0.01 and 10 mM ascorbic acid (25
and 81% inhibition, respectively) and 0.1 and 10 mM dehydroascorbate (5 and
75% inhibition, respectively). Inhibition was noncompetitive with respect
to HMG-CoA (Km = 10.2 microM (RS); ascorbic acid, Ki = 6.4 mM;
dehydroascorbate, Ki = 15 mM) and competitive with respect to NADPH (Km =
16.3 microM; acetic acid, Ki = 6.3 mM; dehydroascorbate, Ki = 3.1 mM).
Ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbate are interconverted through the free
radical intermediate monodehydroascorbate. Reducing agents are required to
convert dehydroascorbate to monodehydroascorbate, but prevent formation of
the free radical from ascorbate. In microsomes from IM-9 cells, the
reducing agent, dithiothreitol, abolished HMG-CoA reductase inhibition by
ascorbate but enhanced inhibition by dehydroascorbate. In addition, the
concentration of monodehydroascorbate present in ascorbate solutions was
directly proportional to the degree of HMG-CoA reductase inhibition by 1.0
mM ascorbate. Fifty per cent inhibition of enzyme activity occurred at a
monodehydroascorbate concentration of 14 microM. These data indicate that
monodehydroascorbate mediates inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase by both
ascorbate and dehydroascorbate. This effect does not appear to be due to
free radical-induced membrane lipid modification, however, since both
ascorbate and dehydroascorbate inhibited the protease-solubilized,
partially purified human liver enzyme. Since inhibition of HMG-CoA
reductase occurs at physiological concentrations of ascorbic acid in the
human leukocyte (0.2-1.72 mM), this vitamin may be important in the
regulation of endogenous cholesterol synthesis in man.