Ethanol inhibits skeletal muscle cell proliferation and delays its differentiation in cell culture.

Chronic ingestion of ethanol (EtOH) produces physiological and morphological alterations in skeletal muscle. The effects of EtOH on skeletal muscle have been studied in experimental animals or on biopsies from alcoholic patients. However, alterations in skeletal muscle from alcoholic patients could be secondary to the effects of EtOH on the nervous system. In this study, by assaying the action of EtOH on primary skeletal muscle cell cultures, we provide evidence of its direct effect on skeletal muscle proliferation and differentiation. The results indicate that EtOH: (1) significantly inhibits skeletal muscle cell proliferation at the beginning of the proliferation phase; (2) delays skeletal muscle differentiation, shown by the significant changes in the evolution of the percentage of the creatine kinase isozymes; (3) has no significant effect on skeletal muscle DNA or protein content during the proliferation phase.