Alcohol metabolism + Oxidative stress Flashcards
where is alcohol metabolised
- 90% in liver
- 10% excreted passively in urine and breath
how is alcohol metabolised
- alcohol oxidised to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase using NAD+
- acetaldehyde oxidised to acetate by aldehyde dehydrogenase using NAD+
- acetate converted to acetyl Co-A which is used in TCA cycle or fatty acid synthesis
- smaller amounts of alcohol can be oxidised by CYP2E1 in liver or catalase in brain
recommended limit of alcohol
14 units/week spread over at least 3 days
rate of alcohol metabolism
eliminated at rate of ~7g/hour (1 unit = 8g)
how does alcohol cause liver damage
- acetaldehyde toxicity normally kept minimal as aldehyde dehydrogenase has very low Km for acetaldehyde and removes it as soon as it is formed
- prolonged and excessive alcohol consumption causes sufficient acetaldehyde accumulation to cause liver damage
- decrease in NAD+/NADH ratio and increased acetyl Co-A leads to changes in liver metabolism (fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis)
effects of decrease in NAD+/NADH ration on liver cell metabolism
inadequate NAD+ for fatty acid oxidation
- contributes to fatty liver
inadequate NAD+ for conversion of lactate to pyruvate
- accumulation of lactate in blood causing lactic acidosis
- increased lactate reduces kidney’s ability to excrete uric acid as they share same transporter, causing urate crystals to accumulate in tissues producing gout
inadequate NAD+ for glycerol metabolism
- combined with inability to use lactate leads to deficit in gluconeogenesis causing fasting hypoglycaemia
effects of increased availability of acetyl Co-A on liver cell metabolism
increased synthesis of fatty acids and ketone bodies
- increased synthesis of triacylglycerols which cannot be transported from liver cells due to lack of lipoprotein synthesis so cause fatty liver
- production of ketone bodies can be sufficient to cause ketoacidosis
treatment of alcohol dependence
disulfiram
- inhibitor of aldehyde dehydrogenase
- if patient drinks alcohol then acetaldehyde accumulates in blood causing symptoms of a hangover such as nausea
effects of damage to liver cells caused by toxic effects of acetaldehyde
- leaky plasma membranes causing loss of enzymes (transaminases and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase)
- reduction in capacity of liver cells to take up and conjugate bilirubin leads to hyperbilirubinaemia causing jaundice
- reduction in capacity to produce urea leads to hyperammonaemia and increased glutamine levels
- reduced protein synthesis leads to decreased synthesis of albumin (oedema), clotting factors (increased clotting time) and lipoproteins (lipids accumulate in liver)
indirect effects of excessive alcohol consumption
poor dietary habit
- vitamin and mineral deficiencies
- inadequate protein and carbohydrate intake
direct effect of alcohol on GI tract
- high concentrations of alcohol damage cells lining GI tract and compound effects of poor diet
- loss of appetite, diarrhoea, impaired absorption of nutrients
- neurological symptoms of thiamine and pyridoxine deficiencies + haematological problems of folic acid deficiency
- thiamine deficiency leads to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome with mental confusion and unsteady gait
chronic pancreatitis
- constant pain in upper abdomen that radiates to back
- weight loss caused by malabsorption of food due to insufficient production of pancreatic enzymes
- diabetes if insulin producing pancreatic β cells are damaged causing hyperglycaemia and glucosuria
why is oxidative stress an important topic to understand
significant component in a wide range of diseases:
- cardiovascular disease
- Alzheimer’s
- rheumatoid arthritis
- multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s
- cancer
- pancreatitis
- ischaemia/reperfusion injury
- COPD
- Crohn’s disease
what is a free radical
atom, molecule or ion that contains one or more unpaired electrons and is capable of independent existence
what is used to denote a free radical
superscript dot
how do free radicals cause damage
- very reactive so tend to acquire electrons from other atoms, molecules or ions
- reaction generates second radical propagating the damage
what are the reactive oxygen species (ROS)
- superoxide (O2’)
- hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
- hydroxyl radicals (‘OH)
what are the reactive nitrogen species
- nitric oxide (NO’)
- peroxynitrite (ONOO-)
ROS damage to DNA
ROS reacts with base
modified base can lead to mispairing and mutation
ROS reacts with sugar
can cause strand break and mutation on repair
failure to repair mutation could lead to cancer