Effect of chronic alcohol administration on the hormonal sensitivity of isolated perfused rat liver

Acute or chronic alcohol administration (37% totally liquid lowfat Metrecal diet) to rats does not affect the normal rate of lactate gluconeogenesis in the isolated perfused liver. However, under challenging doses of either epinephrine (10^?6M) or glucagon (2×10^?8M), the isolated perfused alcoholic livers showed subnormal percentage stimulation in the rate of gluconeogenesis when compared to the controls. The activities of two key hepatic gluconeogenesis enzymes in the cytosol PEPCK and FDPase, were not appreciably altered by chronic alcohol feeding. These results suggest another of membrane involvement as a consequence of the chronic alcohol feeding in the observed depression of hormonal sensitivity.