Metabolism of C26 bile alcohols in the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana

An endogenous bile acid and dietary sucrose from skin secretions of alkaloid-sequestering poison frogs

The skins of Madagascar poison frogs (Mantella) and certain Neotropical poison frogs (Epipedobates, Dendrobates) secrete the new bile acid tauromantellic acid (1), which was found in both wild-caught and captive-born frogs. This is the first molecule of endogenous origin detected in skin secretions from these taxa. Sucrose was also detected in secretions from wild-caught Mantella but not in captive-born frogs, suggesting a dietary origin.

Aberrant oxidation of the cholesterol side chain in bile acid synthesis of sterol carrier protein-2/sterol carrier protein-x knockout mice

Peroxisomal beta-oxidation plays an important role in the metabolism of a wide range of substrates, including various fatty acids and the steroid side chain in bile acid synthesis. Two distinct thiolases have been implicated to function in peroxisomal beta-oxidation: the long known 41-kDa beta-ketothiolase identified by Hashimoto and co-workers (Hijikata, M., Ishii, N., Kagamiyama, H., Osumi, T., and Hashimoto, T. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 8151-8158) and the recently discovered 60-kDa SCPx thiolase, that consists of an N-terminal domain with beta-ketothiolase activity and a C-terminal moiety of sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP2, a lipid carrier or transfer protein). Recently, gene targeting of the SCP2/SCPx gene has shown in mice that the SCPx beta-ketothiolase is involved in peroxisomal beta-oxidation of 2-methyl-branched chain fatty acids like pristanic acid. In our present work we have investigated bile acid synthesis in the SCP2/SCPx knockout mice. Specific inhibition of beta-oxidation at the thiolytic cleavage step in bile acid synthesis is supported by our finding of pronounced accumulation in bile and serum from the knockout mice of 3alpha,7alpha, 12alpha-trihydroxy-27-nor-5beta-cholestane-24-one (which is a known bile alcohol derivative of the cholic acid synthetic intermediate 3alpha,7alpha,12alpha-trihydroxy-24-keto-cholestano yl-coenzyme A). Moreover, these mice have elevated concentrations of bile acids with shortened side chains (i.e. 23-norcholic acid and 23-norchenodeoxycholic acid), which may be produced via alpha- rather than beta-oxidation. Our results demonstrate that the SCPx thiolase is critical for beta-oxidation of the steroid side chain in conversion of cholesterol into bile acids.