Hepatic collagen proline hydroxylase activity in alcoholic liver disease.

The activity of hepatic collagen proline hydroxylase was examined in biopsy samples as a factor in collagen synthesis in 77 patients with alcoholic liver disease. The urinary excretion of peptide bound hydroxyproline was also measured in most of the patients, as an index of collagen degradation. The highest activities of collagen proline hydroxylase were found in the patients with alcoholic hepatitis. Enzyme activity was markedly increased in patients with non-specific changes on liver biopsy, whereas, patients with fatty infiltration had only mild elevations, and those with inactive cirrhosis had normal enzyme activity. Urinary hydroxyproline was elevated only in patients with alcoholic hepatitis and inactive cirrhosis. Follow-up determinations in 16 patients with alcoholic hepatitis, after 4 to 5 weeks, revealed a decrease in enzyme activity, but no change in urinary hydroxyproline. We conclude that among the types of alcohol-related liver diseases, alcoholic hepatitis is associated with the greatest turnover of hepatic collagen.