Ethanol diversely alters palmitate, stearate, and oleate metabolism in the liver and pancreas of rats using the deuterium oxide single tracer.
OBJECTIVE
To determine tissue-specific effects of alcohol on fatty acid synthesis and distribution as related to functional changes in triglyceride transport and membrane formation.


METHODS
Tissue fatty acid profile and de novo lipogenesis were determined in adult male Wistar rats after 5 weeks of ethanol feeding using deuterated water and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Liver and pancreas fatty acid profiles and new synthesis fractions were compared with those from control rats on an isocaloric diet.


RESULTS
Fatty acid ratios in the liver indicated that there was a more than 2-fold accumulation of stearate to that of palmitate, with an apparent decrease in oleate content. On the other hand, in the pancreas, there was a 17% decrease in the stearate-to-palmitate ratio, whereas the oleate-to-palmitate ratio was increased by 30%. The fractions of deuterium-labeled palmitate and stearate were substantially reduced in the liver and pancreas of the alcohol-treated animals. Deuterium labeling of oleate was reduced in the liver but not in the pancreas, consistent with the oleate/stearate ratios in these tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term alcohol exposure results in opposite effects on the desaturase activity in the liver and pancreas, limiting fatty acid transport in the liver but promoting the exocrine function of the pancreas.
Boros
Laszlo G
LG
Department of Pediatrics, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA. boros@labiomed.org
Deng
Qinggao
Q
Pandol
Stephen J
SJ
Tsukamoto
Hidekazu
H
Go
Vay Liang W
VL
Lee
Wai-Nang Paul
WN
D000818:Animals; D017666:Deuterium Oxide; D002149:Energy Intake; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D019308:Palmitic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*
D013229:Stearic Acids; D019301:Oleic Acid; D019308:Palmitic Acid; D000431:Ethanol; C031183:stearic acid; D017666:Deuterium Oxide