title: Effect of maternal ethanol ingestion during pregnancy and lactation on the structure and function of the postnatal rat liver plasma membrane. Assessement with [3H]prazosin binding to the hepatic alpha 1-adrenergic receptors.
abstract: A liquid low-fat nutritionally adequate Metrecal diet in which alcohol contributed 37% of the total calories was given to pregnant rats and maintained during lactation. Control rats were pairfed with an isocaloric sucrose-Metrecal diet. After birth, litters were killed at different ages (days 1-30), and the results showed that growth and survival of progeny from the alcohol-treated rats were adversely affected. Likewise, the wet weights of livers from such pups were consistently less than from the pair-fed controls. The yield of hepatic plasma membrane protein per wet liver weight was constant and independent of either age or diet. Using [3H]prazosin as radioligand, equilibrium binding studies were carried out to monitor changes in the structure and function of the plasma membrane in the new-born pups concomitant with the development of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors. Results obtained with the alcohol-fed pups showed that the binding affinity (KD) was not altered throughout. However, the receptor density (Bmax) was decreased significantly. This decrease ranged from 60 to 70% in pups 6- to 15-days-old; 45% at 20 days; and 30% in pups at 25 and 30 days of age. These observations suggest that maternal ethanol ingestion affected the postnatal development of rat liver plasma membranes. Furthermore, by using the hepatic alpha 1-adrenergic receptor as a metabolic probe, we deduce that a possible impairment exists in the capacity of the alcoholic progeny to respond to the hormonal action of epinephrine. Such a defect may contribute to impaired growth and metabolism in these young animals.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011224:Prazosin / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D000431:Ethanol; D011224:Prazosin