Appearance of a hyposialylated transferrin fraction in the plasma during chronic alcohol exposure is a well-known phenomenon, and it represents the best available marker of chronic alcohol consumption. The mechanisms of its appearance are still not well understood and are extremely complex, involving biosynthesis and catabolism alterations, although the only structural abnormality described corresponds to the loss of an entire glycan chain. We analyzed and compared the oligosaccharides present on the different isoforms of purified transferrin isolated from control and patients with severe alcohol abuse by fluorescent carbohydrate electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. Our data indicate that the major modification observed is the loss of an entire oligosaccharide chain; we also demonstrate that there is a modification of terminal sialylation. Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is the result of multiple alterations of glycosylation. These results give a partial explanation to the poor sensitivity of the measurement of CDT and its controversial use as a marker of chronic alcohol consumption.
The few controlled studies dealing with the action of alcohol on core body temperature in humans have focused on the effect of a single dose of ethanol and reported that it has a hypothermic effect. No studies report the effects of repeated ethanol intake over a 24-h period, a pattern of consumption much closer to the clinical condition of chronic alcoholism. We therefore designed a trial in which alcohol was repeatedly and regularly administered, with a total dose of 256 g. Nine healthy male volunteers (mean age 23.3 +/- 2.9 yr; range 21-30) each served as his own control. The circadian temperature rhythm was studied by a single-blind, randomized, crossover study that compared a 26-h alcohol session to a 26-h placebo session. The trial controlled for so-called masking effects known to affect temperature. The volunteers were in bed; the ambient temperature was maintained between 20 and 22 degrees C. Meals were standardized. And light was controlled during the night. All sessions took place between November and April. The two sessions were separated by 2 to 5 wk. Rectal temperature was monitored every 20 min throughout the trial. We found the standard hypothermic effect of alcohol in the early hours of the trial, during the daytime, but our principal result is that alcohol consumption induced a very significant hyperthermic effect (+0.36 degrees C) during the night and thereby reduced the circadian amplitude of core body temperature by 43%. The dramatic decrease of the amplitude of circadian temperature rhythm that we observed may explain, at least in part, some clinical signs observed in alcoholic patients, including sleep and mood disorders. We suggest that jet lag, shift work, and aging, which are known to alter body temperature, are aggravated by alcohol consumption.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.