Effect of chronic ethanol consumption on the pancreas of the hamster

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of chronic ethanol consumption on pancreatic morphology and biochemistry in the hamster, with special attention to lipid changes. A control group of Syrian golden hamsters fed a synthetic liquid diet was compared to an ethanol group pair-fed the same diet with ethanol substituted for 35% of the carbohydrate calories. The animals were sacrificed at 7 weeks and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. After 12 months of ethanol consumption, a significant decrease in pancreatic triglycerides and a significant increase in pancreatic RNA was seen. These changes were associated with a rise in pancreatic weight and protein content in the ethanol group, reversing a six-month decline in these values. This rise in RNA and protein in the ethanol-treated group corresponded with the appearance of large abnormal zymogen granules. Other ultrastructural features such as lipid droplets, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum were not altered by ethanol. Ethanol did increase the water content of the pancreas. Although ethanol had no effect on the fasting levels of insulin or pancreatic polypeptide, the fasting serum gastrin immunoreactivity was significantly lower in the ethanol animals. This study shows that chronic ethanol consumption produces a metabolic change in the hamster by 12 months which is suggestive of increased protein synthesis with a decrease in pancreatic triglycerides and no lipid droplet formation.