title: Ethanol and the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor: in vivo and in vitro experiments.
abstract: 1. The effect of chronic ethanol exposure on rat peripheral benzodiazepine receptors (PBR) was studied. 2. The binding of 3H-RO 5-4864 to PBR was increased (35.4%) in the kidneys of rats treated with 10% (v/v) ethanol for 12 weeks, but not in renal membranes isolated from rats exposed to ethanol 30% (v/v) during the same period. 3. Similarly, short-term administration of ethanol (4 weeks) did not alter the binding of 3H-RO 5-4864 to renal membranes. 4. To examine the possibility of a direct interaction of ethanol with PBR, in vitro experiments were carried out. Only high concentrations of ethanol (> 100 mM) caused a significant inhibition of 3H-RO 5-4864 binding in kidney, testis and cerebral cortex. 5. The results presented indicate that chronic ethanol exposure causes a time and dose-dependent increase in renal PBR.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biología Celular, Facultad de Medicina UBA, Paraguay.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tumilasci
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Medina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001570:Benzodiazepinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001570:Benzodiazepinones; D003292:Convulsants; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C028513:4'-chlorodiazepam; D000431:Ethanol