In vitro and in vivo effect of ethanol on cyclic AMP dependent protein phosphorylation.

The in vitro addition of ethanol reduces the cyclic AMP dependent protein phosphorylation of several protein bands both in particulate and in cytosolic fractions of rat striatum. The cytosolic 32 Kd band associated to D-1 dopamine receptor is particularly sensible to the inhibitory action of ethanol. In vivo data indicate that chronic ethanol treatment exerts also an inhibitory effect on protein phosphorylation in striatal fractions reducing the 32P incorporation in protein bands linked to the synaptic vescicular traffic and to dopaminergic transmission. This study provides direct evidence that long term ethanol consumption alters dopaminergic transduction processes.