EFFECTS OF PROLONGED ETHANOL INTAKE AND MALNUTRITION ON RAT PANCREAS

Nutritional factors, especially the protein and fat content of the die t, may change pancreatic morphology after ethanol induced injury. This study was performed to delineate the combined effects of a low fat di et and longterm ethanol ingestion on the rat pancreas. Male Sprague-Da wley rats were maintained with five different diets for 12 weeks and t he pancreas removed on the day they were killed. Rats fed a very low f at diet without ethanol (5% of total calories as lipid) developed maln utrition, pancreatic steatosis, and reduction in zymogen granules cont ent. Animals fed a 35% lipid diet with ethanol also developed pancreat ic steatosis but changes in zymogen granules content were not detected . Both malnutrition and longterm ethanol consumption increased pancrea tic cholesterol ester content, and their effects were additive. Pancre atic steatosis was accompanied with hypercholesterolaemia. Amylase, li pase, and cholesterol esterase content were reduced in malnourished ra ts; but longterm ethanol ingestion, regardless of the nutritional stat e, increased lipase content and decreased amylase. It is suggested tha t high serum cholesterol concentrations and increased pancreatic lipas e activity could cause accumulation of cholesterol esters in acinar ce lls. Fat accumulation in the pancreas has been reported as the earlies t histopathological feature in alcoholic patients and may be responsib le for cytotoxic effects on the acinar cells at the level of the cell membrane. Although it is difficult to extrapolate results in this anim al study to the human situation, the results presented in this work mi ght explain the higher incidence of pancreatitis is malnourished popul ations as well as in alcoholic subjects that is reported in dietary su rveys.