Liver glutamine synthetase activity is markedly reduced in chronic ethanol-fed micropigs

Conference · Wed Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 1992 · FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States)

OSTI ID:7278667

Olin, K L; Zidenberg-Cherr, S; Villanueva, J; Halsted, C H; Keen, C L ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California, Davis (United States)

The authors have reported that chronic ethanol (Et) feeding in the micropig results in changes in antioxidant defense including reductions in liver CuZnSOD and GSHPX activities, in vitamin E and A levels, and increases in liver MnSOD activity. Despite these alterations, liver mitochondria (mit) and microsome (mic) TBARS were lower in Et-fed than control (C) pigs. The significance of lower TBARS is unclear since the saturated to PUFA ratio was higher in mit and mic from Et than from C pigs. Thus in the current study they measured a non-lipid target of oxidative damage. Glutamine synthetase (GS) activity was measured as this protein is an excellent marker for oxidative damage due to the sensitivity of histidine residues to free radicals at the active site. Micropigs were fed high PUFA diets containing 40% of kcals as either Et or cornstarch (C) and 34% of kcals as corn oil. After 12 mo pigs were killed and livers removed. Fatty infiltration, inflammation and necrosis were observed in livers from Et pigs by 5 mo; collagen infiltration was apparent in 2 pigs by 12 mo. Et pigs had GS activities that were 90% lower than C pigs. The finding that liver Mn levels were higher in Et than in C pigs suggests that the low GS activity is not due to a reduction in Mn availability, although a shift in the distribution of Mn from GS to MnSOD may be involved. These data support the idea that chronic Et feeding is associated with oxidative damage and underscore the need to evaluate non-lipid targets as markers for oxidative damage.

• OSTI ID: 7278667
• Report Number(s): CONF-9204141-; CODEN: FAJOE
• Journal Information: FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States), Vol. 6:4; Conference: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) meeting, Anaheim, CA (United States), 5-9 Apr 1992; ISSN 0892-6638
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ETHANOL
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
LIGASES
ENZYME ACTIVITY
LIVER
NECROSIS
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
GLUTAMINE
METABOLISM
MINIATURE SWINE
ALCOHOLS
AMIDES
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
BODY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ENZYMES
GLANDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PROTEINS
SWINE
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology