The Effect of Chronic Ethanol Ingestion on the Pancreatic Proteolytic Enzymes and their Inhibitors in the Rat

Abstract

The effect of chronic alcohol ingestion on pancreatic proteinases and their inhibitors was studied in the rat. In addition, some parameters of general condition and parameters routinely included in investigations of the pancreas were measured. Alcohol solution (20% w/v 1.1 ml/100 g of body weight) was administered to 19 rats by gastric intubation 5 times weekly during 10 to 12 weeks. Sixteen rats served as controls. The general condition, body weight gain, and hepatic transaminases in serum remained unchanged by this treatment. Blood amylase and serum triglycerides decreased in rats subjected to alcohol administration, but serum cholesterol levels showed no significant change. The amount of soluble proteins in the pancreatic homogenates decreased in the alcohol group as did the specific and total BAPNA (N-alfa-benzoyl-DL-arginine-4-nitroanilide-hydrochloride) hydrolyzing activities and the total ATEE (N-acetyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester) hydrolyzing activity. No significant differences could be noted in the quantities of proenzymes (trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen), or in the specific and total casein hydrolyzing activities of the homogenates. The trypsin-inhibition of the homogenates, measured by a semiquantitative method, was more pronounced in the alcohol group. The plasma protein content increased in the alcohol group, but both the trypsin-inhibiting and trypsin-protecting capacities decreased. The results suggest that chronic alcohol ingestion in the rat leads to pancreas atrophy as indicated by the decrease in soluble proteins and to impaired defence of the blood against proteolytic enzymes.

Key-words:

• Alcohol
• chymotrypsin
• pancreas
• proteinase inhibitors
• triglycerides
• trypsin.