Alcoholic patients and experimental animals exposed to ethanol display biochemical signs of oxidativedamage, suggesting a possible role of free radicals in causing some of the toxic effects of alcohol. The ester derivative, ethylpyruvate (EP) is stable in solution and should function as an antioxidant and energy precursor. In the present study, the effect of ethanol intake on plasma membrane fluidity, lipid oxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities (GPx, CAT and SOD) were first evaluated. Secondly, the consequences of ethylpyruvate treatment on the physico-chemical properties of erythrocyte plasma membranes were investigated. The results obtained demonstrate that ethanol induces an increase in lipid peroxidation, a reduction of GPx activity and fluidity in the hydrophilic–hydrophobic region of the bilayer, moreover an increase of fluidity in hydrophobic part of the plasma membrane was measured. When rats were treated with ethylpyruvate a partially protective effect can be observed for the hydrophilic–hydrophobic region tested by Laurdan, while EP cannot restore the DPH anisotropy values to the control values. In summary, our data indicate that treatment with EP can only partially reduce ethanol plasma membrane perturbation. Since this study shows an ethylpyruvate dose-dependent effect, it is important to consider the amount of EP required to maintain the right level of membrane fluidity and polarity. These results could be interesting in order to investigate if EP, due to its radical scavenging effect, can prevent oxidativedamage induced by ethanol intake and can protect against injure related with ethanol intake.
Oxidative damage in rat erythrocyte membranes following ethanol intake: effect of ethyl pyruvate
GABBIANELLI, Rosita;CIFANI, Carlo;MASSI, Maurizio;POLIDORI, Carlo;FALCIONI, Giancarlo
2007-01-01
Abstract
Alcoholic patients and experimental animals exposed to ethanol display biochemical signs of oxidativedamage, suggesting a possible role of free radicals in causing some of the toxic effects of alcohol. The ester derivative, ethylpyruvate (EP) is stable in solution and should function as an antioxidant and energy precursor. In the present study, the effect of ethanol intake on plasma membrane fluidity, lipid oxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities (GPx, CAT and SOD) were first evaluated. Secondly, the consequences of ethylpyruvate treatment on the physico-chemical properties of erythrocyte plasma membranes were investigated. The results obtained demonstrate that ethanol induces an increase in lipid peroxidation, a reduction of GPx activity and fluidity in the hydrophilic–hydrophobic region of the bilayer, moreover an increase of fluidity in hydrophobic part of the plasma membrane was measured. When rats were treated with ethylpyruvate a partially protective effect can be observed for the hydrophilic–hydrophobic region tested by Laurdan, while EP cannot restore the DPH anisotropy values to the control values. In summary, our data indicate that treatment with EP can only partially reduce ethanol plasma membrane perturbation. Since this study shows an ethylpyruvate dose-dependent effect, it is important to consider the amount of EP required to maintain the right level of membrane fluidity and polarity. These results could be interesting in order to investigate if EP, due to its radical scavenging effect, can prevent oxidativedamage induced by ethanol intake and can protect against injure related with ethanol intake.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
