title: Effect of ethanol on nitrite oxidation in the perfused rat liver.
abstract: The effect of ethanol on nitrite oxidation was investigated in the perfused rat liver. Real-time spectral changes in catalase were obtained using a reflectance scanning spectrophotometer in rat liver perfused with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer in a non-recirculating system. The nitrite oxidation rate and nitrate production rate were calculated from the differences in concentrations between the influx and efflux perfusates and from the flow rate/g liver weight. Nitrite infusion caused an increase in absorbance difference delta A (640-660 nm), indicating decomposition of catalase compound I to the free form. Administration of ethanol during the nitrite infusion caused a further increase in delta A (640-660 nm) and significant decreases in both the nitrite oxidation rate and the nitrate production rate. Both the nitrite oxidation rate and nitrate production rate decreased, depending on the concentration of ethanol administered. At 10 mM ethanol, they reached about half the rates before the ethanol infusion. In conclusion, ethanol inhibits nitrite oxidation by catalase in the perfused rat liver at relatively low concentrations that can be realized in blood by daily alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Environmental Science, School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010477:Perfusion; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D009573:Nitrites; D000431:Ethanol; D002374:Catalase