Gender difference in enzymes related with alcohol consumption in hamster, an avid consumer of alcohol

Syrian golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is extraordinary among laborat ory rodents in its ability to drink alcohol. After being given a free choic e between 15% ethanol and water for 5 days, both male and female hamsters d erived at least 85% of the fluid intake from the ethanol solution. Analysis of the alcohol-metabolizing enzymes in alcohol-naive hamsters showed that the male had a higher activity of 57%, 58% and 34% in stomach alcohol dehyd rogenase, liver cytochrome P450 1A2 and liver aldehyde dehydrogenase, respe ctively, compared with the: female. The activity of lung angiotensin-conver ting enzyme, which influence fluid intake, was twofold higher in the male. After 4 weeks of ethanol consumption, the activities of the hepatic alcohol -metabolizing enzymes remained unchanged except cytochrome P450 2E1 which i ncreased 42% and 88% in male and female hamsters, respectively. A reduction of similar to 80% In the activity of cytochrome P450 1A2 was observed in b oth genders. The activities of several other cytochrome P450 enzymes were a lso decreased, Although ethanol consumption did not increase plasma aminotr ansferase levels, it caused a significant increase in liver weight in femal e, but not male hamsters. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserve d.