Ethanol-induced inhibition of guanylate cyclase in liver, pancreas, stomach and intestine.

Ethanol decreases hepatic protein and albumin synthesis, and inhibits pancreatic water, bicarbonate, and protein secretion. Since these actions of ethanol are opposite to those reported for secretin, cholecystokinin-pancreozymin, and pentagastrin which may be mediated through increases in cyclic GMP, it appeared possible that the inhibitory actions of ethanol might be mediated through inhibition of guanylate cyclase, the enzyme that catalyzes the production of cyclic GMP. Ethanol inhibited soluble preparations of guanylate cyclase from rat liver, pancreas, stomach, and ileum. Maximal inhibition was observed at 5.0 and 2.5 percent ethanol. The inhibitory effects of ethanol on the guanylate cyclase-cyclic GMP system of these tissues provide a possible explanation for some of the diverse effects of ethanol on these tissues.