DISTRIBUTION AND TURNOVER OF ACETALDEHYDE-MODIFIED PROTEINS IN LIVER AND BLOOD OF ETHANOL-FED RATS

Previous studies have shown that acetaldehyde (AcH)-modifiedproteins are formed in the liver and blood of rats fed ethanol-containingdiets. in this study we report the application of ELISA techniquesto study the subcellular distribution and turnover of AcH-modifiedproteins in ethanol-fed and control rats. Modified proteinswere found in liver mitochondrial, crude membrane and cytosolicfractions, as well as in plasma from ethanol-fed rats. No adductswere detected by our assay in haemolysates from the same animals.The rate of decline of AcH-modifled proteins after cessationof ethanol feeding was also examined. Modified liver cytosolicproteins were shown to decline with a half-life of 2.3 weeks,whereas modified plasma adducts declined with a half-life of4.8 weeks.