title: Changes in synaptic membrane order associated with chronic ethanol treatment in mice.
abstract: The fluidity of brain synaptosomal plasma membranes (SPM) from ethanol-treated mice and control mice was investigated by a sensitive EPR technique. Mice were made tolerant to and physically dependent on ethanol by 3 days of continuous exposure to ethanol vapor. Daily injections of pyrazole were used to stabilize the blood alcohol levels. At the time of withdrawal, SPM were prepared and spin-labeled with 5-, 12-, or 16-doxylstearic acid. "Baseline" order parameters were measured in the absence of added alcohol. The chronic ethanol treatment produced a significant increase in the baseline order parameter that could be detected with the 12-doxyl probe. This indicates a more rigid membrane associated with the withdrawal hyperexicitability. Baseline order parameters measured with the 5-doxyl probe (near the bilayer surface) or with the 16-doxyl probe (near the bilayer interior) were not affected by the chronic ethanol treatment. When ethanol or t-butanol was added in vitro to membranes labeled with the 5- or 12-doxyl probe, a membrane component of tolerance was revealed; that is, the SPM from ethanol-treated mice required more alcohol to reduce the membrane to a given disordered state. The SPM content of cholesterol and phospholipid was not affected by the chronic ethanol treatment.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D000440:Butanols / Q000494:pharmacology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000187:drug effects*; D020002:tert-Butyl Alcohol
chemical_list: D000440:Butanols; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D011720:Pyrazoles; D000431:Ethanol; D002784:Cholesterol; D020002:tert-Butyl Alcohol