Biomaterial Database

The acute effects of ethanol on liver and brain tryptophan metabolism. 1977

A A Badawy, and M Evans

1. The effects of acute ethanol administration of liver and brain tryptophan metabolism are reviewed. 2. Ethanol enhances the activity of rat liver tryptophan pyrrolase by increasing the availability of circulating free tryptophan to the liver by catecholamine-mediated lipolysis followed by displacement of protein-bound serum tryptophan. 3. The response of the mouse liver enzyme to ethanol is strain-dependent. Ethanol activates the enzyme in CBA/CA but not in C57/BL mice. 4. Ethanol exerts a biphasic effect on the concentrations of rat brain tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindol-3-ylacetic acid. 5. Both aspects of this biphasic effect are associated with an altered availability of circulating free tryptophan. 6. The initial enhancement by ethanol of brain tryptophan metabolism may be due to the above-mentioned lipolytic mechanism, whereas the subsequent decrease in brain indoles may be caused by the enhanced tryptophan pyrrolase activity. 7. Brain tryptophan metabolism is decreased by ethanol in CBA/CA whereas no change is observed in that in C57/BL mice. 8. These results are discussed in relation to previous work on the acute effects of ethanol on rat and mouse brain 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008808	Mice, Inbred CBA	An inbred strain of mouse that is widely used in BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH.	Mice, CBA,Mouse, CBA,Mouse, Inbred CBA,CBA Mice,CBA Mice, Inbred,CBA Mouse,CBA Mouse, Inbred,Inbred CBA Mice,Inbred CBA Mouse
D008810	Mice, Inbred C57BL	One of the first INBRED MOUSE STRAINS to be sequenced. This strain is commonly used as genetic background for transgenic mouse models. Refractory to many tumors, this strain is also preferred model for studying role of genetic variations in development of diseases.	Mice, C57BL,Mouse, C57BL,Mouse, Inbred C57BL,C57BL Mice,C57BL Mice, Inbred,C57BL Mouse,C57BL Mouse, Inbred,Inbred C57BL Mice,Inbred C57BL Mouse
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D000431	Ethanol	A clear, colorless liquid rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and distributed throughout the body. It has bactericidal activity and is used often as a topical disinfectant. It is widely used as a solvent and preservative in pharmaceutical preparations as well as serving as the primary ingredient in ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.	Alcohol, Ethyl,Absolute Alcohol,Grain Alcohol,Alcohol, Absolute,Alcohol, Grain,Ethyl Alcohol
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013045	Species Specificity	The restriction of a characteristic behavior, anatomical structure or physical system, such as immune response; metabolic response, or gene or gene variant to the members of one species. It refers to that property which differentiates one species from another but it is also used for phylogenetic levels higher or lower than the species.	Species Specificities,Specificities, Species,Specificity, Species
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D014364	Tryptophan	An essential amino acid that is necessary for normal growth in infants and for NITROGEN balance in adults. It is a precursor of INDOLE ALKALOIDS in plants. It is a precursor of SEROTONIN (hence its use as an antidepressant and sleep aid). It can be a precursor to NIACIN, albeit inefficiently, in mammals.	Ardeydorm,Ardeytropin,L-Tryptophan,L-Tryptophan-ratiopharm,Levotryptophan,Lyphan,Naturruhe,Optimax,PMS-Tryptophan,Trofan,Tryptacin,Tryptan,Tryptophan Metabolism Alterations,ratio-Tryptophan,L Tryptophan,L Tryptophan ratiopharm,PMS Tryptophan,ratio Tryptophan
D014366	Tryptophan Oxygenase	A dioxygenase with specificity for the oxidation of the indoleamine ring of TRYPTOPHAN. It is a LIVER-specific enzyme that is the first and rate limiting enzyme in the kynurenine pathway of TRYPTOPHAN catabolism.	Tryptophan Pyrrolase,TDO Dioxygenase,Tryptophan 2,3-Dioxygenase,2,3-Dioxygenase, Tryptophan,Dioxygenase, TDO,Oxygenase, Tryptophan,Pyrrolase, Tryptophan,Tryptophan 2,3 Dioxygenase