S1 Alcohol Metabolism and Oxidative Stress Flashcards
What organ metabolises most of the alcohol? How else is alcohol excreted?
The liver (over 90%)
Passively in urine and on breath
What enzymes are involved in alcohol oxidation?
- Alcohol dehydrogenase (alcohol/ethanol to acetaldehyde)
2. Aldehyde dehydrogenase (acetaldehyde to acetate)
What co-enzyme is used in alcohol metabolism?
NAD+ to NADH
What accumulation of an intermediate in alcohol metabolism causes a hangover?
Acetaldehyde
What is acetate used to produce?
Conjugated with coenzyme A to form acetyl CoA
Has aldehyde dehydrogenase got a low or high Km for acetaldehyde?
Low
What can cause liver damage linked to alcohol consumption?
- Accumulation of acetaldehyde
2. Changes in NADH and acetyl-CoA leads to changes in liver metabolism
What two things does alcohol oxidation lead to an increase/decrease in?
- Decrease in NAD+/NADH ratio
2. Increase in Acetyl-CoA
What does a decrease in NAD+/NADH ratio lead to (linked to alcohol consumption)?
- inadequate NAD+ for conversion of lactate to pyruvate so lactate accumulates in the blood - lactic acidosis or urate crystals accumulate in tissues causing gout (as reduced uric acid excretion in kidneys)
- inadequate NAD* for glycerol metabolism, gluconeogenesis decreases, hypoglycaemia
- inadequate NAD+ for fatty acid deoxidation, increased triacylglycerol synthesis, leads to a fatty liver
What does a increased Acetyl-CoA lead to (related to alcohol consumption)?
- increased synthesis of fatty acids and ketone bodies leads to an increase in triacylglycerol synthesis and hence a fatty liver
What is disulfiram?
A drug used in the treatment of alcohol dependence
It inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase, leading to a build up of acetaldehyde causing hangover symptoms
The idea is to stop someone from wanting to drink
What are ROS and RNS?
Reactive Oxygen Species
Reactive Nitrogen Species
Name some diseases that can be caused by oxidative stress (9 items):
- CVS disease
- Alzheimer’s
- Crohn’s
- COPD
- Ischaemia
- Cancer
- Pancreatitis
- Parkinson’s
- MS
What are free radicals?
An atom/molecule that contains one or more unpaired electrons and is capable of independent/free existence
They are very reactive
Describe the transfer of “free radicals” in ROS
Oxygen —> Superoxide —> Hydrogen peroxide —> Water + Hydroxyl radical —> Water
Each gains one e- (and none, 1 or 2 H+)
Which ROS is the most reactive and damaging?
Hydroxyl Radical (OH*)
What are the two RNS?
Nitric oxide and peroxynitrite
Superoxide (ROS) can react with nitric oxide (RNS) to produce peroxynitrite
How many unpaired electrons does molecular oxygen have?
2 unpaired electrons - biradical
Which ROS isn’t a free radical?
Hydrogen peroxide
What two ways do ROS damage DNA?
- ROS reacts with base - can lead to mispairing and mutation
- ROS reacts with sugar - can cause strand break and mutation on repair
What is a clinical marker present in cells used to measure oxidative damage in DNA?
8-oxo-dG
How do ROS damage proteins?
- ROS reacts with protein backbone - leads to fragmentation and protein degradation
- ROS reacts with protein sidechain - leads to modified amino acid, change in protein structure, leads to loss of function and protein degradation or gain of function