Short-term regulation of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase by reversible phosphorylation: modulation of reductase phosphatase in rat hepatocytes.

Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase catalyzes the limiting step in cholesterol synthesis in liver and other tissues. Beginning in 1973 studies with subcellular systems established that microsomal reductase is inactivated with ATP(Mg) and reductase kinase, and restored to full activity with phospho-protein phosphatase. By contrast reductase kinase is inactivated with phosphatase and reactivated with a second protein kinase (reductase kinase kinase). This bicyclic system has now been confirmed in terms of homogeneous enzyme components and by direct reversible phosphorylation with [gamma 32P]ATP in several laboratories. Short-term endocrine control of reductase and reductase kinase has been demonstrated in intact rat hepatocytes. Preincubation of cells with glucagon brought about a fall in the expressed activity of reductase and a rise in reductase kinase consistent with net phosphorylation of both enzymes. Total reductase levels were also severely depressed after glucagon. Addition of insulin to suspensions of hepatocytes had the reverse effect on expressed activity of reductase (elevated) and reductase kinase (depressed). Insulin also prevented the decay in total reductase activity. Since both protein kinases identified in this system are cAMP-insensitive, it was possible that hormonal signaling is mediated through the protein phosphatase that acts on both reductase kinase and reductase. In recent studies we have shown that the rate of activation of endogenous reductase in hepatocyte extracts (microsomes plus cytosol) is responsive to hormonal modulation. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with insulin increases apparent reductase phosphatase activity in extracts while glucagon diminishes the rate of reductase activation. HMG CoA is converted to mevalonate by the reductase enzyme. In hepatocytes mevalonate is rapidly converted to cholesterol and to a variety of isoprene derivatives. Expressed reductase activity falls precipitously when hepatocytes are incubated with mevalonate (added in the form of mevalono-lactone). As in the case with glucagon pretreatment reductase phosphatase is rapidly diminished. (Mevalonate itself is not inhibitory to reductase or reductase phosphatase activity in subcellular systems.) It is probable that a product of mevalonate metabolism generated in intact cells may act as a reductase phosphatase inhibitor. Among these added inorganic pyrophosphate inhibited reductase phosphatase at low concentrations.