The Interaction of Ethanol, Dietary Lipids, and Proteins on the Rat Pancreas

Abstract

124 male Wistar rats weighing 80–120 g were randomized into 2 groups, one receiving ad libitum 20% ethanol, the other water as drinking fluid. Each group has been divided in series of 8 to 12 rats which received 4 different diets combining different ratios of casein and fats. The experiments lasted from 2 to 21 months. Trypsinogen, amylase, lipase, protein and DNA were measured at the end of the experiment. The action of ethanol is closely related to the dietary ratio of proteins and lipids: (1) With a 17–18.5% protein intake and a 10% lipid diet, amylase and chrymotrypsinogen are significantly reduced, but with a 35% fat diet, amylase, trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen are increased as well as, very probably, the enzyme concentration in the zymogen granules. This increased concentration might explain the toxic action of ethanol in man, facilitating precipitation of protein plugs in the ducts, found in the first stage of chronic alcoholic calcifying pancreatitis. (2) With a 5–6% protein diet, ethanol lowers moderately the pancreaticconcentration of these enzymes. With increased lipid ratios of the diet, the level of thepancreatic enzymes is reduced.

The Interaction of Ethanol, Dietary Lipids and Proteins on the Rat Pancreas

“…The effect of ethanol is slight and varies according to the protein level of the diet. It is noteworthy that with diet T2, whose protein level is normal and lipid level relatively high, ethanol lowers the number of zymogen granules whereas, under the same conditions, the biochemical data [6] showed an increased enzyme content (units of amylase, lipase, chymotrypsinogen, trypsinogen per tig of DNA). At first this discrepancy could be related to an increase in the quantity of pancreatic juice pooled into the ducts: this would be enhanced by the fact that, according to Lowy el al.…”

“…fats 60%). For the composition of these diets, sec table I in the first paper [6], For each diet, the rats were randomized in 2 groups: one drinking water, the other drinking ad libitum 20% ethanol. The daily intake of ethanol is given in the first paper [6].…”

“…We report in the present work the results of a statistical evaluation of the cellular alterations induced in the rat exocrine pancreas by diets combining ethanol, and different levels of dietary lipids and proteins. This morphological study is coupled with a biochemical analysis, of which results, separately reported [6], show that with a normal protein diet, rather rich in fats, ethanol enhances the concentration of trypsinogen and amylase, whereas with a low protein and/or a low fat diet it reduces their concentration. …”

Effects of Chronic Ethanol Consumption on Pancreatic Response to Central Vagal Stimulation by 2-Deoxy-<i>D</i>-Glucose in the Rat

“…In other studies, however, increasing enzymatic contents of the pancreas were found: after 6 months 15% ethanol + normal protein diet (12), and after 2 months of 20% ethanol + lipid rich diet (8,22).…”

“…(2) In a series of studies, after alcohol consumption for variable times up to 30 months, the enzymatic contents of pancreas were generally decreased (1,21,22), in variable amounts, sometimes significantly, and sometimes not. This was observed with various diets (normal, protein deficient, lipid deficient or lipid rich) in variable degrees for the various pancreatic enzymes.…”