Abstract
Purpose : Alcohol dehydrogenase (alcohol : NAD+ dehydrogenase, E.C.1.1.1.1 ; ADH) catalyzes a rate-determining reaction in the metabolism of ethanol in the liver. On the other hand, stress which stimulates the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-adrenocortical axis and the sympathetic nervous system increases liver ADH activity. However, few studies reported the effects of food-deprivation on the ethanol oxidation rate in rats. Therefore, the effects of food-deprivation on liver cytosolic ADH activities in the infant, adult and aged rats were studied. Methods : Infant (3 wks old), adult (7 wks old) and aged (50 wks old) male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into the control (CON) and the fasting (FAS) groups. Food-deprivation was maintained for 3, 6 and 8 days, respectively. 10% liver homogenates were prepared under ice-conditions. The supernatant cytosolic fraction was used for the determination of ADH specific activities. The ADH activities were assayed at 38°C and pH 9.0. Results : The body weights, the liver weights per body weights, the total liver cytosolic protein contents, the liver cytosolic ADH activities and the total ADH activities of FAS were markedly lower than those of CON. In conclusion, rat liver cytosolic ADH activities evidently decreased by food-deprivation, and the magnitude of decreased action of ADH activities was prominent in the infant rats. [Jpn J Physiol 54 Suppl:S232 (2004)]
