L. Tampier et al., METABOLISM OF ACETALDEHYDE BY RAT ISOLATED AORTIC RINGS - DOES ENDOTHELIAL TISSUE CONTRIBUTE TO ITS EXTRAHEPATIC METABOLISM, Alcohol, 10(3), 1993, pp. 203-206
Acetaldehyde (AcH) metabolism in isolated aortic rings was studied by
assessing in vitro-added AcH disappearing rate by head space gas chrom
atography. It was found that AcH was metabolized by aortic rings or by
homogenates prepared in 0.1 M phosphate buffer containing Triton X-10
0, by an NAD-dependent enzyme with characteristics similar to those of
aldehyde dehydrogenase (AlDH) present in mitochondria from rat liver
and brain. This enzyme appears to be present in the vascular endotheli
um, since the action of aortic rings showed a remarkable decrease by i
ts removal. Extrahepatic metabolism of AcH was assessed by the differe
nces between AcH levels found in samples of blood obtained from the su
prahepatic vein, carotid artery, femoral vein, and tail cut of rats. T
he in vitro activity of aortic rings, as well as the extrahepatic AcH
metabolism, were significantly decreased by pretreatment of rats with
disulfiram. The wide distribution of vascular endothelium throughout t
he body suggests that this tissue could contribute to AcH extrahepatic
metabolism.