Increased chemiluminescence and superoxide production in the liver of chronically ethanol-treated rats.
Rats fed ethanol (1.74 +/- 0.12 g/day/100 g body wt for 12 weeks) showed a 45% increased microsomal production of O-2 (2.23 +/- 0.14 nmol/min/mg protein) and a 28% increased content of endoplasmic reticulum protein (26.8 +/- 1.4 mg/g liver). This could lead, at substrate saturation, to a 86% increased cytosolic production of O-2 which is not compensated by cytosolic superoxide dismutase levels that remain normal. It is claimed that this unbalance between O-2 production and superoxide dismutase leads to a peroxidative stress in agreement with the 54% increased spontaneous liver chemiluminescence (37 +/- 2 cps/cm2) measured in the ethanol-treated rats. Hydroperoxide-induced chemiluminescence was 57, 43, and 28% higher, respectively, in homogenates, mitochondria, and microsomes isolated from ethanol-treated rats as compared with controls. Vitamins E and A were more effective inhibitors of the hydroperoxide-stimulated chemiluminescence in the liver homogenates from ethanol-treated rats as compared with the effect on the homogenates from control animals. The results are consistent with a peroxidative stress in chronic alcoholism leading to increased lipoperoxidation and decreased levels of antioxidants.
D000818:Animals; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000378:metabolism*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013481:Superoxides / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D013481:Superoxides; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase