Effect of ethanol on the activity of lipoprotein lipase in adipose tissue of male and female rats.

The effect of a single large dose of ethanol on the activity of lipoprotein lipase in adipose tissue of previously fasted male and female rats was followed over a 16-hour period. Feeding of ethanol caused an increase in the plasma triacylglycerol concentration in both male and female rats. This has previously been attributed to an increased secretion of triacylglycerols from the liver into the plasma. The present results show that there is probably not any significant increase in the uptake of triacylglycerols in adipose tissue after ethanol feeding in male and female rats, since there was no major increase in the activity of lipoprotein lipase in adipose tissue. This may be a prerequisite for the ethanol-induced increase in the plasma triacylglycerol concentration and shows the unphysiological nature of ethanol as a source of energy.