The effects of acute ethanol on growth in rat liver: Steady state c- myc transcripts

In order to elucidate the effects of acute ethanol on compensatory liver growth (regeneration), the steady state c- myc mRNA levels were studied following two-thirds partial hepatectomy. After surgery, control rat livers exhibited two peaks of c- myc transcripts, at 0.5–2 h and at 8–10 h. Sham surgery did not induce c- myc mRNA expression. Ethanol (3 g/kg), administered by gavage at 1 hour prehepatectomy, had no effect on the initial peak of c- myc mRNA; however, the second peak was eliminated. Control gavage of isocaloric glucose prior to partial hepatectomy had no effects on either of the subsequent c- myc mRNA peaks. Blood alcohol levels were found to be elevated throughout the prereplicative phase. These results suggest that ethanol may disrupt proto-oncogene expression near the restriction point at the G1/S boundary of the cell cycle in hepatocytes.