The role of liver and adipose tissue in the pathogenesis of the ethanol-induced fatty liver

• Main Authors: Maria Poggi, N.R. Di Luzio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 1964-07-01
• Series: Journal of Lipid Research
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022227520402184

In vivo incubation of paired epididymal fat pads with medium containing palmitic acid-1-C14 was employed to label adipose tissue triglycerides. The administration of a single dose of ethanol to normal rats so treated produced an elevation of liver triglyceride, judged by comparison with control rats given glucose isocalorically. The radioactivity of liver triglyceride was proportionately elevated, while the specific activity was unchanged. The loss of radioactive triglyceride from adipose tissue was not significantly different in the ethanol group from that in the controls.These studies demonstrate that adipose tissue triglyceride is mobilized at a normal rate during the development of this type of hepatic steatosis. Specific activity data suggest nevertheless that adipose tissue triglyceride fatty acids constitute the principal source of the fatty acids of the accumulated hepatic triglycerides, indicating an altered hepatic metabolism of triglycerides (or fatty acids) as the cause of the accumulation.