Catabolism of cholesterol by bovine adrenal-cortex enzymes: in vitro formation of oxygenated sterols and side-chain cleavage products.

The identification of sterols and steroids formed by incubation of [7alph-3H, 26-14C]cholesterol with mitochondrial enzymes from bovine adrenal cortex is reported. Only 17% of the radioactivity associated with cholesterol metabolites was found in pregnenolone, whereas 15% was reliable to oxygenated sterols and 6% to steroid compounds. The significance of the formation of these compounds is discussed particularly as regards oxygenated cholesterol derivatives.