Pancreatic digestive enzymes and ultrastructure after chronic alcohol intake in the rat

The effects of chronic ethanol intake on the digestive enzyme content of rat pancreas, pancreatic juice and serum were studied by means of reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing and traditional enzymatic methods. The biochemical changes were further correlated to ultrastructural lesions caused by chronic alcohol consumption. 55 animals were given ethanol in their drinking water as 15% (w/v) solution up to 16 months. 49 control animals received water. The protein composition of the pancreatic juice was qualitatively similar in the alcoholic and control animals. Alcohol had a biphasic effect on pancreatic enzyme secretion. The protein and especially the trypsinogen concentrations of the pancreatic juice were increased after 8 months alcohol intake and diminished after 16 months. The changes in the acinar cell ultrastructure were marked only during the 2nd year of alcohol consumption. The amylase, lipase and especially the trypsinogen concentrations of pancreatic tissue were increased in the alcoholic animals. The results suggest that chronic ethanol consumption profoundly interferes with the pancreatic protein metabolism, especially that of trypsinogen and that the decrease in the enzyme secretion after 16 months alcohol intake may be due to acinar cell injury.