The modulating effect of an inhibitor of cholesterolgenesis present in bovine milk upon the synthesis of cholesterol, dolichol and ubiquinone.

Bovine milk contains two inhibitors of hepatic cholesterol genesis. One of these, identified as orotic acid, influences the early segment of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway and suppresses the conversion of acetate to mevalonate. In this study the other inhibitor was shown to curtail the formation of compounds past farnesyl pyrophosphate on the squalene-cholesterol branch of the pathway. Thus cholesterol synthesis may be suppressed while the production of two other products of the branched pathway, dolichol and ubiquinone, is allowed to continue. The possible role of these ingested regulators in the metabolism of the young until they achieve sufficient development is discussed.