Effect of an inhibitor of squalene epoxidase, NB-598, on lipid metabolism in Hep G2 cells.

NB-598, a potent inhibitor of squalene epoxidase, inhibited cholesterol synthesis from [14C]acetate and induced intracellular squalene accumulation in Hep G2 cells. NB-598 inhibited cholesterol synthesis from [14C]acetate, [3H]mevalonate, and [3H]squalene, but not from [3H]2,3-oxidosqualene in Hep G2 cells. It reduced cholesterol ester synthesis remarkably in the absence of exogenous cholesterol. This compound did not have any effect on the synthesis of ubiquinone and dolichol. When Hep G2 cells were prelabeled with micellar [3H]cholesterol, NB-598 did not affect the excretion of bile acid incorporated from [3H]cholesterol. However, NB-598 decreased the secretion of free and esterified cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and phospholipids, and increased the secretion of squalene. NB-598 is thought not only to inhibit cholesterol synthesis, but also to inhibit the secretion of lipids.