Effects of chronic ethanol abuse on structure and enzyme activities of skeletal muscle in man.

Biopsies from vastus lateralis muscle of male patients suffering from chronic ethanol abuse were studied with regard to histochemical reactions of ATPase and NADH-diaphorase; enzymatic activities of triosephosphate dehydrogenase (TPD), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), and cytochrome c oxidase (cytox); content of ATP, creatine phosphate, and glycogen; and volume fractions of fat, mitochondria, and fibrillar and extrafibrillar space. The results were compared with those from controls without known abuse of ethanol. The relative numbers of fibers were the same in two groups, but the size of the fast-twitch-glycolytic (white) fibers was diminished in the alcoholic group. The activities of TPD and LD were diminished in skeletal muscle of the alcoholics. This is most probably caused by the reduced amount of fast-twitch-glycolytic tissue, as there was a good correlation between this amount and the activity of the two enzymes. The activity of cytox was slightly lower in muscle of the alcoholics than in that of the controls. The volume fraction of mitochondria was lower in the alcoholic group than in the control group. Volume fractions of fat and fibrillar and extrafibrillar space were equal in the two groups. No significant differences were found in the amount of glycogen and ATP in the muscle of the two groups. However, the content of creatine phosphate is higher in the alcoholic group than in the control group.