title: Ethanol impairs differentiation of human adipocyte stromal cells in culture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bioinformatic resources suggest that adipose tissue expresses mRNAs for alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) and ALDH2, and epidemiological studies indicate that heavy alcohol use reduces adipose tissue mass. We therefore characterized the expression of alcohol metabolizing enzymes in human, rat and mouse adipose tissue, preadipocytes, and adipocytes, the ability of adipocytes to metabolize ethanol, and the effects of ethanol on differentiation of human adipose stromal cells (hASCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Adipose tissue, preadipocytes, and adipocytes were collected from rodents or from humans undergoing bariatric surgery. hASCs were differentiated in vitro using standard methods. Gene expression and cellular differentiation were analyzed by Western blotting, RT-PCR, and microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Class I ADH was expressed in human > mouse > rat adipose tissue, whereas ALDH2 was high in all samples. ADH, catalase, and ALDH2 were induced during differentiation of hASCs. The presence of 50 mM ethanol markedly reduced the differentiation of hASCs; this effect was associated with inhibition of expression of transcription factors required for differentiation, but did not depend on the ability of the cells to metabolize ethanol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human adipose tissue expresses alcohol oxidizing enzymes. The presence of ethanol at physiologically relevant concentrations inhibits differentiation of hASCs. Ethanol could alter adipose tissue biology, inducing a form of acquired lipodystrophy, which is consistent with epidemiological studies.
authors: Departments of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indianapolis VA Medical Center, Indiana 46202, USA. dcrabb@iupui.edu
authors: David W
authors: DW
authors: Crabb
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Zeng
authors: Suthat
authors: S
authors: Liangpunsakul
authors: Rosemarie
authors: R
authors: Jones
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Considine