Ethanol-related changes in liver microsomes and mitochondria from the monkey, Macaca fascicularis.

Four Macaca fascicularis monkeys were maintained 1 year on a liquid diet containing 26% of calories as ethanol. Four control animals were fed a liquid diet of equivalent calories with protein, carbohydrate, and fat being substituted for ethanol calories. In liver mitochondria prepared from ethanol-fed monkeys (ethanol mitochondria), respiratory control was lowered 20% due to a decrease in state 3 respiration (28%). This was also accompanied by a 20% decrease in ADP translocation into ethanol mitochondria. The major change was a 61% decrease in cytochrome oxidase activity. The respiratory rate in the presence of uncoupler was also lowered 14%, but the decrease was not statistically significant. In contrast with our earlier observations with Macaca nemestrina, no significant ethanol-induced changes were observed in enzyme activities associated with the microsomal electron transport system, and no ethanol-elicited fatty liver was evident. The major changes in fatty acid composition of microsomal and mitochondrial phospholipids were increased amounts of palmitoleic and oleic acids, and decreased amounts of linoleic and arachidonic acids.