Liver plasma membrane proteins in chronic ethanol intoxication.

Plasma membrane proteins were isolated from control and ethanol-treated rat livers by the use of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (IEF-SDS-PAGE). Two groups of proteins differing in their response to ethanol were analysed and termed as ethanol-sensitive proteins (ESP) and ethanol insensitive proteins (EISP). This study indicates a loss of many membrane-associated proteins and strongly suggests a role for these proteins in the mechanism of plasma membrane disruption by ethanol.