The clearance of plasma kallikrein by the isolated and perfused liver of rats chronically intoxicated with ethanol was studied. Alcohol was added to the diet as 36% of total calories, and the animals were kept on this diet for 5-7 weeks. 2. The hepatic clearance of plasma kallikrein by these rats (uptake half-life, 15 +/- 2 min; N = 3) was similar to that observed in the control groups (normal diet, uptake half-life, 14 +/- 2 min; N = 5, or normal diet with sucrose added as 36% of total calories, uptake half-life, 16 +/- 3 min; N = 4). 3. These results provided indirect evidence that the endocytosis mechanism of plasma kallikrein by the liver differs from that described for glycoproteins which use the galactosyl receptor, since liver endocytosis via this latter system is reduced by chronic alcohol intoxication.
