Transferrin microheterogeneity in rats treated chronically with ethanol.

The microheterogeneity of rat serum transferrin was analyzed by isoelectric focusing and immunofixation from Wistar rats chronically treated with ethanol either by inhalation (4 weeks) or by a liquid diet (6 weeks) and from pair-fed controls. In spite of the length of ethanol exposure, a daily ethanol intake of 13-18 g/kg b.wt. and BAC levels of 1.0-4.1 g/l, no transferrin abnormality similar to that found in human alcoholics was observed. It is apparent that these two common animal models for chronic high ethanol consumption are not suitable for experimental studies of ethanol-associated effects on transferrin.