CHANGES OF HEPATIC GAMMA-GLUTAMYL TRANSPEPTIDASE (γ-GTP) IN RATS WITH LONG TERM ETHANOL ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

To study the effect of chronic ethanol administration by the histochemical and biochemical analysis was performed using male-Donryu rats which fed on the 36% ethanol-containing liquid diet for 9 months. The histochemical study of the hepatic γ-GTP showed strongly positive stain on proliferated bile ductules in the portal area, while negative stain in hepatic parenchyma. With biochemical analysis, hepatic microsomal γ-GTP activity showed mild elevation by 2.75 times higher than control, however serum γ-GTP activity was scarecely elevated.
These results suggest that the increase in serum γ-GTP commonly observed in alcoholics can partially be attributed to an induction of in the proliferated bile ductules.