Comparison of the effects of cyclic AMP analogues on cholesterol metabolism in cultured rat and hamster hepatocytes.

The effects of two cell-permeable cyclic AMP analogues, 8-chloro cyclic AMP (8-Cl cAMP) and 8-(4-chlorophenylthio) cyclic AMP (8-CPT cAMP), on cholesterol esterification, cholesteryl ester hydrolysis and bile acid synthesis were compared in cultured rat and hamster hepatocytes. Cholesterol esterification, as measured by the incorporation of [3H]oleate into cholesteryl ester, was increased by 58-88% by the analogues in rat hepatocytes and by 33-43% in hamster cells. The response in rat hepatocytes, however, was observed after a relatively short incubation time (28% increase after 1 hr), whereas that in hamster cells required a longer period (36% after 12 hr) to become apparent. The activity of the cytosolic neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase in rat hepatocytes was also stimulated by both cyclic AMP analogues (31-37%, but the microsomal activity was unaffected. In hamster hepatocytes, however, microsomal cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity was increased (47-80%) in the presence of 8-Cl cAMP or 8-CPT cAMP. Bile acid synthesis was increased by 8-CPT cyclic AMP in rat cells (approximately 25%) but was unchanged by both analogues in hamster hepatocytes. These results indicate significant differences in the way in which cholesterol metabolism responds to cyclic AMP in cultured rat and hamster hepatocytes.