A high hepatic concentration of free proline does not induce collagen synthesis in rat liver.
It has been reported that the concentration of free proline in the liver can be a limiting factor in the synthesis of hepatic collagen, and there has also been found to be a good correlation between the free proline and the amount of collagen in cirrhotic human livers. Since ethanol retards the breakdown of proline, it might be expected that ethanol-induced liver cirrhosis could be produced by the effect of ethanol on the hepatic proline level. In the present study the hepatic free proline level was increased more than three-fold by the administration of proline-rich diet to the rats used in the experiment. Administration of ethanol to the animals did not further increase the concentration of free proline of the liver. The high free proline level had no effect on the collagen formation, nor on the structure of the liver. It can therefore be assumed that the increased free proline levels observed in cirrhotic livers did not induce an increased collagen accumulation, and are a consequence of an altered proline metabolism.
D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004032:Diet; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011392:Proline / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D000431:Ethanol; D003094:Collagen; D011392:Proline