Impaired stimulation of intestinal glucose absorption by portal insulin via hepatoenteral nerves in chronically ethanol-intoxicated rats

In the isolated, jointly perfused small intestine and liver of rats insulin , infused into the portal vein, induced an increase in intestinal glucose a bsorption via hepatoenteral cholinergic nerves. The possible loss of functi on of these nerves due to ethanol-induced neuropathy was investigated with 6 weeks ethanol-fed rats. Portal insulin or arterial carbachol failed to in crease intestinal glucose absorption but cAMP still did so. The intact stim ulatory effect of cAMP indicated an undisturbed capacity of the enterocytes . The loss of action of portal insulin and of arterial carbachol can be exp lained by the impairment of the hepatoenteral nerves in line with an ethano l-induced neuropathy. (C) 2000 Federation of European Biochemical Societies .