Effect of acute ethanol consumption on hepatic lysosomal enzymes and calcium concentration during rat liver...

Effect of alcohol consumption on the activity of two lysosomal nucleases, deoxyribonuclease II (DNAase II) and ribonuclease II (RNAase II) and calcium concentration have been studied during liver regeneration of Sprague-Dawley rats over a period of 10 days following 70% partial hepatectomy. Liver weight was completely restored in partially hepatectomized rats at 8 days in both sexes, but ethanol treatment resulted in only a partial restoration of liver weight at 10 days. Specific activity of DNAase II in partial hepatectomized animals increased by 50-75% at 6-12 hrs above sham operated controls, and the specific activity of RNAase II increased 2.3 fold at 6 hr, while calcium concentration decreased by 50% at 6-12 hrs. Ethanol treatment masked and/or delayed the increase in the specific activity of both enzymes at early stages of liver regeneration and also masked the decrease in calcium concentration. These results indicate that ethanol consumption delays the process of liver regeneration by altering the activity of lysosomal nucleases and calcium concentration.