title: Alcohol-induced alterations in phosphoinositide hydrolysis in astrocytes.
abstract: Cultured astrocytes exposed to ethanol were prelabeled with [3H]inositol and the accumulation of [3H]inositol phosphates was determined following stimulation with norepinephrine (NE). Acute doses of alcohol (25-200 mM) had little effect on phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis. However, chronic exposure for 7 days produced significant increases in hydrolysis with ethanol concentrations as low as 50 mM. The onset of alcohol-induced increases occurred within 4 hr of exposure, reaching maximum values by Days 3 to 5. Withdrawal resulted in the return of stimulated PI hydrolysis to pre-alcohol exposure levels after 2 days. The evidence provided suggests that chronic exposure of ethanol alters the alpha-adrenergic receptor characteristics of astrocytes and/or enhances the effector pathway leading to PI hydrolysis at a site distal to the receptor.
authors.affiliation: Alcohol Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1759.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: deVellis
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Noble
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; D000431:Ethanol