The role of the adrenal gland in ethanol-induced triglyceride mobilization

The effect of a large ethanol (ETOH) dose (4.8 g/kg) on triglyceride (TG) levels of plasma, brain and liver was studied in the rat. TG levels were measured in fasted male rats treated with ETOH or after ETOH and tetraethylammonium treatment in intact rats. The levels of TG were also measured after treatment with ETOH and dexamethasone (DXM) in adrenalectomized rats. Plasma TG levels significantly increased in the nonadrenalectomized and adrenalectomized rats by one- and twofold respectively. Brain TG levels increased significantly when intact animals were placed under either stress or when they were treated with ETOH and stress simultaneously. The adrenalectomized rats showed a similar response when they were treated with ETOH and DXM simultaneously. The liver TG levels were significantly different from control in all treated animals. The ETOH-treated adrenalectomized rats' TG levels were significantly less than control. This study suggests that stress and the adrenal gland play important roles in ETOH-induced TG levels in the rat.