BILIARY-EXCRETION OF DOLICHOLS AND BETA-HEXOSAMINIDASE - EFFECT OF ETHANOL AND GLUCAGON

Alcohol has been reported to increase the urinary excretion of dolicho ls, and urinary dolichols are suggested to be derived from the lysosom es of the renal cells. In the present study we examined the effects of alcohol and glucagon on the biliary excretion of dolichols in rats. C hronic ethanol treatment decreased both biliary dolichol and beta-hexo saminidase excretion. The absolute amount of dolichol excreted into th e bile correlated highly significantly with the absolute amount of bil iary beta-hexosaminidase. Our results indicate that biliary dolichols are-at least in part-derived from hepatic lysosomes. Decreased biliary dolichol output during chronic alcohol administration suggests that u rinary and biliary dolichol excretions are regulated independently of each other.