EFFECTS OF ETHANOL AND PROTEIN-DEFICIENCY ON PANCREATIC DIGESTIVE ANDLYSOSOMAL-ENZYMES

The pathogenesis of alcoholic pancreatitis is not fully understood. An increase in pancreatic digestive and lysosomal enzyme synthesis becau se of ethanol consumption could contribute to the development of pancr eatic injury in alcoholics. This study aimed, firstly, to determine th e effect of ethanol on the content and messenger RNA levels of pancrea tic digestive enzymes and on the messenger RNA level of the lysosomal enzyme cathepsin B, and secondly, to examine the influence of concomit ant protein deficiency (a known association of alcoholism and pancreat ic injury) on these effects. A rat model of chronic ethanol administra tion was used in which rats were fed in groups of four, and for four w eeks, protein sufficient and protein deficient diets with or without e thanol. Ethanol increased the pancreatic content of lipase but did not influence chymotrypsinogen or trypsinogen values. mRNA levels for lip ase, trypsinogen, and chymotrypsinogen were raised in rats fed ethanol . Protein deficiency resulted in reduced tissue levels of lipase, chym otrypsinogen, and amylase but did not influence trypsinogen values. mR NA levels for proteases were increased in protein deficient rats, whil e those for lipase remained unaltered. Both ethanol and protein defici ency increased mRNA levels for cathepsin B. It is concluded that chron ic ethanol consumption, in both protein sufficient and protein deficie nt states, increases the capacity of the pancreatic acinar cell to syn thesise digestive and lysosomal enzymes.