A Study of Hepatic Protein Synthesis, Three Subcellular Enzymes, and Liver Morphology in Chronically Ethanol Fed Rats

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Abstract
Male Wistar rats were given ethanol chronically (20-30% of the energy as ethanol) in a nutritionally sufficient regimen. Controls received lipid as isoenergetic substitute for ethanol. Treatment lasted for 2 or 8 wk. Hepatic protein synthesis was measured in fasted rats during a 32 min continuous infusion of 3H-Val. After 2 wk of treatment, accumulation of hepatic protein was observed in the ethanol group, but there was no change in hepatic protein synthesis or morphology. After 8 wk, the rate of hepatic protein synthesis was decreased by 35% in the ethanol group, but there was no accumulation of protein and a slight accumulation of intracellular lipid droplets. Neither the subcellular distribution of incorporated 3H-Val, nor the activities and distributions of alcohol dehydrogenase and NADPH cytochrome c reductase were changed. Mitochrondrial cytochrome c oxidase activity was decreased in the ethanol group, cytosolic and microsomal fractions showed higher cytochrome c oxidase activity in this group. Chronic ethanol treatment for 8 wk had an adverse effect on general protein synthesis as well as on a specific enzyme in the liver in the absence of serious morphologic abnormalities.