Abstract
Chronic alcohol(ETOH) exposure in man and turkeys (TK) leads to structural and functional changes in the heart; similar cardiac pathology has been found in some infants with the fetal alcohol syndrome. The mechanism of ETOH induced cardiac damage is unknown but may, in part, involve lipid peroxidation (LPO) of heart membranes. Acetaldehyde(ALD), the first oxidation product of ETOH, could be the main mediator of ETOH injury. The direct effect of ALD on heart tissue LPO has not been reported and this, therefore, was investigated in our study. Normal TK and Sprague Dawley rats were sacrificed by decapitation. Left ventricular(LV) homogenates were analyzed for LPO using the thiobarbituric acid reaction(malondialdehyde(MDA) production; mean±SE in nmolMDA/100mg prot.) before and after in vitro addition of 1%ALD. LPO was increased in rat LV(n=5) following the addition of ALD (250±9vs486±24, p<0.02). A similar increase was obtained using TK LV(n=5, see below), suggesting that the increase was not species specific. The cause of ALD induced increased LPO is unknown; one possible mechanism could involve delocalization of tissue iron (Fe) leading to enhanced LPO via an Fe catalyzed(e.g.Haber-Weiss) reaction. We found that in vitro addition of 1%ALD also resulted in a significant 2-fold increase in free Fe levels of TK(n=6) and rat(n=5)LV(TK:48±12 to 105±6;rat:99±5 to 174±10nmolFe/100mg prot.). The addition of Fe chelators deferoxamine(DEF) and dihydrobenzoic acid(DBA) at 0.02M protected against ALD induced increase in TK LV LPO(CON:321±66;1%ALD:567±96;DEF:196±24;DBA:343 ± 36, p<0.03vs 1%ALD). Thus, ALD increases free Fe levels and LPO in TK and rat heart homogenates. Should similar changes occur in vivo, these results suggest a mechanism of ETOH induced cardiomyopathy and a possible mode of treatment.
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Zhang, SL., Lax, D., Li, Y. et al. ACETALDEHYDE INCREASES FREE IRON IN THE HEART: POSSIBLE MECHANISM IN ALCOHOL CAHDIOMYOPATHY. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 197 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00185
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00185