Ethanol induces the production of antibodies to acetaldehyde-modified epitopes in rats.

Rats treated with ethanol for periods of 3-27 months were found to produce an immune response to acetaldehyde-modified proteins, whereas treatment for a shorter period (3 weeks) did not lead to such a response. The reactivity towards the modified proteins was shown to be independent of the carrier protein as antibodies were reactive with modified human plasma proteins and modified bovine haemoglobin. The data presented here support the hypothesis that acetaldehyde-modified proteins may act as neoantigens in alcoholics and may play a role in the aetiology of alcoholic liver disease.