Although the stomach is one of the primary sites of action of ingested alcohol, there have been few studies designed to explore the mechanisms by which alcohol affects the gastric mucosa. Inhibition of the active transport of chloride in the rat stomach by topical application of 20% ethanol has been demonstrated (1). Studies conducted on the isolated (2) and intact dog stomach (3) have also demonstrated inhibition of active ion transport and acid secretion. A model for active chloride transport has been described by Kasbekar and Durbin (4) which is operative through a bicarbonate-stimulated ATPase, coupling chloride movement with bicarbonate in a manner similar to ATPase-activated sodium and potassium transport. However, unlike the sodium plus potassium ATPase, chloride is not necessary for maximal bicarbonate ATPase activity (4). The only physiological base which is known to stimulate this ATPase is bicarbonate. Simon and Sachs ( 5 ) have suggested that this enzyme may play a role in bicarbonate transport in the pancreas.To determine whether the ethanol-induced inhibition of chloride transport in the gastric mucosa is mediated by inhibition of the bicarbonate-stimulated ATPase, the effects of ethanol were evaluated on bicarbonate-stimulated ATPase activity, in vitro and in vivo ATP content, and in vivo cAMP content of dog gastric mucosa.Methods. Magnesium and magnesium plus bicarbonate-stimulated ATPase activities were determined according to Blum et al. (6) using crude homogenates of canine These investigations were supported by NIAAA Grant Number 2 R 0 1 A A 00194-04. Dr. Shanbour is the recipient of Research Scientist Development Award Number 5 K02-AA-70463-03.Author to whom reprint requests should be addressed.gastric mucosa. Gastric segments were resected from dogs fasted for 24 hr and anesthetized with 0.68 g/kg of chloralose-urethane (1:lO). The mucosa was separated from the muscular portion of the stomach using glass slides. The mucosal portion was homogenized (1 : 10) in 0.25 M ice-cold sucrose with a ground glass tissue grinder, diluted, and analyzed within 1 hr. Reaction mixtures contained the following final concentrations: 100 mM Tris-HEPES (pH 8.2), 3 mM MgC12, 3 mM ATP, homogenate equal to 2.0 mg of tissue per ml of reaction mixture, and 20 mM NaHCO, when bicarbonate stimulation was evaluated. The samples were incubated at 37" and the reaction was terminated by pipetting 0.2 ml of the reaction mixture into 0.4 ml of 5% TCA. Denatured protein was removed by centrifugation and the quantity of inorganic phosphate released during the reaction was determined by the method of Buell et al. (7).Effects of ethanol on ATP were evaluated using thin mucosal slices incubated in dog plasma gassed with 95% O2 and 5% C 0 2 at 37" with and without 20% ethanol (v/v). At varying time intervals, the tissues were removed, blotted, frozen in liquid nitrogen, pulverized, and homogenized in 5% TCA. Wet weights remained stable when three mucosal slices were incubated with 20% ethanol in dog plasma for 10, 20, and 90 min...