Effects of ethanol and lipopolysaccharide on the sphingomyelin cycle in rat hepatocytes.

Lipopolysaccharide toxin added to primary hepatocyte culture slightly modified the basal concentrations of (3)H-serine-labeled sphingomyelin, sphingosine, and ceramide. Ethanol reduced the levels of sphingomyelin and sphingosine by 20-25 and 15-20%, respectively, but increased ceramide content by 7-17%. Tumor necrosis factor reduced the concentrations of sphingomyelin and sphingosine, but did not modify the content of ceramide. Combined treatment with lipopolysaccharide toxin and ethanol potentiated the effect of alcohol.