Neuronal and liver protein synthesis in the developing offsprings following treatment of pregnant rats with ethanol or 1,3-butanediol.

Ethanol or 1,3-butanediol ingestion during pregnancy and lactation results in a marked inhibition of neuronal protein synthesis in the 18-day-old rat progeny, however the same treatment had a stimulatory effect on the amino acid incorporation by neuronal perikarya of 8-day-old pups. Liver protein synthesis in vitro, on the other hand, was enhanced in both 8-day and 18-day-old pups as a consequence of maternal ethanol consumption. This was attributable to increased amino-acylation in the liver pH 5 enzyme fraction.