Utilization of ketone bodies by the rat liver, brain and heart in chronic alcohol intoxication.

The time-course of ketone body concentrations, the activities of enzymes of their utilization as well as the activities of acetyl-CoA synthetase and ATP-citrate lyase were studied in the liver, brain and heart of rats receiving ethanol for 40 days (3 g/kg, intragastrally). Ethanol increased the concentration of 3-hydroxybutyrate 3 hr following the last ethanol treatment in the blood and tissues investigated and that of acetoacetate in the liver with raised acetoacetyl-CoA synthetase activity in all three tissues. The activities of acetyl-CoA-generating enzymes were, however, increased only in the liver and heart. Chronic alcohol intoxication diminished the activities of ketone body utilizing enzymes (3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and 3-oxo acid-CoA transferase) in the heart but not in the brain. The data obtained indicate both disturbed ketone body utilization and increased importance of acetate produced from ethanol as an energy source in the heart during long-term ethanol treatment.