Lymphocyte DNA alteration by sub-chronic ethanol intake in alcohol-preferring rats.
BACKGROUND
Excessive alcohol consumption has been correlated with a higher susceptibility to infections among humans. Chromosome aberrations and other parameters have been suggested as useful biomarkers in assessing genetic damage due to ethanol intake.


METHODS
Genetically selected alcohol-preferring rats were given water, 10% ethanol and water or 10% ethanol alone for 3 months as fluid to drink. Food was available ad libitum for the entire period. At the end of the sub-chronic treatment their blood and liver were collected. All blood cells were counted and both lymphocytes and hepatocytes of all three groups were tested with the Comet assay to determine whether any DNA damage had occurred.


RESULTS
Only lymphocytes showed DNA damage, with differences among groups. The group that had only ethanol to drink showed greater lymphocyte DNA damage than the ethanol/water and water alone groups. On the other hand, hepatocyte DNA did not show any signs of damage.


CONCLUSIONS
Ten weeks of sub-chronic ethanol treatment produces small but significant damage to lymphocytes but not to hepatocytes, a result which confirms the observations of previous authors, and extends them even to a strain of rats genetically selected for high ethanol intake.
Department of MCA Biology, University of Camerino, Via Camerini 2, 62032 Camerino (MC), Italy.
Donatella
D
Fedeli
Amalia
A
Fedeli
Fabio
F
Luciani
Maurizio
M
Massi
Giancarlo
G
Falcioni
Carlo
C
Polidori
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats
D000431:Ethanol