Effects of ethanol on calcium transport across the liver cell plasma membrane

The effect of ethanol on calcium transport by the liver cell was studied by using a rat liver slice preparation. Ethanol was shown to decrease by about 30% the rate constant for 45Ca efflux from the intracellular compartment. This inhibitory effect of ethanol was not observed in the absence of Ca2+ or Na+ from the incubation medium. Ethanol was also shown to greatly increase non-insulin calcium uptake by liver slices. This effect of ethanol appeared to be dose dependent and was not observed in the absence of Na+ from the incubation medium. The ability of ethanol to increase calcium uptake by the hepatocyte was completely blocked by 1 mM Amiloride. Amiloride, however, did not affect the increased entry of either Na+ or Ca2+ produced by 10 mM Ouabain, a specific inhibitor of the sodium pump. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), a well known hepatotoxin, also increased calcium uptake by the hepatocyte. Amiloride, however, was not able to block the CCl4-induced calcium uptake. These results suggest that ethanol activates a Na+ entry pathway, probably represented by a Na+/H+ exchanger, which in turn stimulates an entry of Ca2+ through a Na+/Ca2+ exchange mechanism located in the plasma membrane of the hepatocyte.