Alcoholic hepatomegaly: accumulation of protein in the liver.

The hepatomegaly that appears after long-term feeding of ethanol results in accumulation of protein that is quantitatively as important as the increase in lipid. The bulk of protein accumulated in the soluble fraction of the cell. Hepatic albumin and transferrin concentrations increase and colchicine-binding protein decreases, thus suggesting an intrahepatic retention of export proteins.