title: Brain mitochondrial alterations after chronic alcohol consumption.
abstract: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the existence of alterations in glutathione and cholesterol homeostasis in brain mitochondria from alcoholic rats. Glutathione concentration decreased, whereas oxidized glutathione and cholesterol contents increased in these organelles, suggesting the ethanol-induced generation of reactive oxygen species, and the impairment of mitochondrial uptake of glutathione, possibly due to the increase in cholesterol deposition. The release of apoptogenic proteins was increased after stimulating mitochondria from the brain of alcoholic rats with atractyloside. As a conclusion, chronic alcohol consumption might sensitize brain mitochondria to apoptotic stimuli, and promote the subsequent release of apoptotic proteins.
authors.affiliation: Instituto sobre Drogas y Conductas Adictivas, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, 46113 Moncada, Valencia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Almansa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Ruiz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muriach
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Barcia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fernández-Checa
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Romero
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide / Q000378:metabolism*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C489013:DIABLO protein, rat; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D000431:Ethanol; D045304:Cytochromes c; D002784:Cholesterol; D005978:Glutathione; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide