Methods were developed for determination of microsomal HMG-CoA reductase activity from freshly isolated human lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes or cultured human lymphoid cells. Reductase activity in monocytes is approximately twice that in lymphocytes or granulocytes. The activity in cultured cells is approximately 34-fold greater than that in freshly isolated cells. Assay conditions were such as to preclude formation of HMG-CoA cleavage products. Leukocyte reductase activity was inhibited by dichloroacetate, a noncompetitive inhibitor of rat liver reductase and a serum cholesterol-lowering agent in man. Measurement of microsomal reductase activity from freshly isolated leukocytes may prove useful in assessing in vivo regulation of cholesterol synthesis in man.
