Table 1 Quantification of sterols after exposure of control cells to inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis: comparison between gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry and the [2‐¹⁴C]acetate loading test.

	Controls (n = 9)				Controls+inhibitors (n = 2)
	Median	Range	Mean (SD)		Triparanol 1 µM	AY9944 1 µM	Progesterone 10 µM
GC‐MS
Cholesterol	94.3	92.5–97.5	94.7 (1.6)		94.3	74.7	92.9
Desmosterol	0.79	0.32–1.72	0.84 (0.4)		3.25	0.45	4.45
Lathosterol	1.42	0.34–1.99	1.36 (0.5)		1.40	3.76	1.76
7‐DHC	0.41	0.16–0.55	0.41 (0.1)		0.60	18.95	0.57
8‐DHC	0.2	0.13–0.46	0.24 (0.1)		0.20	1.31	0.21
8(9)‐Cholestenol	<dl	<dl	<dl		<dl	1.34	< dl
Lanosterol	0.13	0.01–1.72	0.32 (0.5)		0.18	0.08	0.10
[2‐14C]acetate loading
Cholesterol	82	74–90	82 (5)		28	5	19
Desmosterol/lathosterol	8.2	4.4–10.6	7.8 (1.9)		22	16	16
7‐DHC	1.9	1.0–3.4	2.0 (0.8)		12	39	34
8‐DHC	<dl	<dl	<dl		9	14	9
8(9)‐Cholestenol	<dl	<dl	<dl		21	21	11
Lanosterol	4.7	2.3–7.9	4.7 (1.9)		7	6	10

DHC, dehydrocholesterol; dl, detection limit; GC‐MS, gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry.

GC‐MS analysis was performed after cultivation of the cells on lipid‐depleted culture medium for 48 h and exposure to each inhibitor for 72 h. The [2‐¹⁴C]acetate loading test was performed as described in the legend of fig 3. Data are expressed as percentage of total sterols.