Ethanol oxidation by deermice mitochondria under physiologic conditions.

Mitochondria obtained from alcohol dehydrogenase-positive or - negative deermice do not oxidize significant amounts of ethanol at pH 7.4. A slight activity, equivalent to less than 0.3% of the elimination rate in alcohol dehydrogenase-negative deermice was observed at pH 10; it was strongly inhibited by cyanide and thiourea, and was not dependent on exogenous NAD. Whereas ethanol oxidation by the cytosol of alcohol dehydrogenase-positive deermice was time-dependent, that of mitochondria from alcohol dehydrogenase-negative deermice was not. These findings indicate that deermice mitochondria do not oxidize ethanol at physiological pH, and that the mitochondrial system is not likely to play a significant physiologic role.