CENTRILOBULAR DISTRIBUTION OF ACETALDEHYDE AND COLLAGEN IN THE ETHANOL-FED MICROPIG

We established a new animal model of alcoholic liver disease in the mi cropig, a species that consumes ethanol voluntarily in the diet. Ten m icropigs were pair-fed diets containing 40% of calories as ethanol or cornstarch with identical amounts of fat, protein and micronutrients f or 12 mo. Liver histopathology in the ethanol-fed pigs included steato necrosis in all five and interstitial and perivenous fibrosis in three . Electron microscopy showed Ito-cell transformation with perisinusoid al collagen accumulation. Acetaldehyde adducts were found by immunoflu orescence in the centrilobular region and were focused in perivenous z one 3 of all ethanol-fed animals. Protein and triglyceride levels were increased, whereas vitamin A and iron levels were decreased in liver homogenates from ethanol-fed animals. Thus, in this new animal model o f alcoholism, ethanol feeding produced the features of alcoholic liver disease concurrent with hepatic deficiency of selected nutrients. His tological and immunofluorescent studies provide in vivo evidence that perivenous collagen deposition is linked to ethanol metabolism and ace taldehyde production.