Ethanol exposure decreases pituitary corticotropin-releasing factor binding, adenylate cyclase activity, proopiomelanocortin biosynthesis, and plasma beta-endorphin levels in the rat.

Animals exposed continuously for 14 days to ethanol vapor in an inhalation chamber at sufficient ethanol vapor concentration to maintain blood ethanol levels from 100-250 mg/100 ml exhibited approximately 36% lower corticotropin-releasing factor binding and 24% lower adenylate cyclase activity in anterior (AL) and neurointermediate lobe (NIL) membranes of the pituitary gland compared to controls not treated with ethanol. To determine the effect of chronic ethanol exposure on proopiomelanocortin (POMC) biosynthesis, the levels of POMC mRNA in the AL and NIL were quantified by Northern blot and slot blot techniques. Ethanol treatment for 1, 7, or 14 days produced a time-related decrease in POMC mRNA levels, relative to total RNA levels, in both the AL and NIL. Ethanol treatment caused a greater reduction in NIL POMC mRNA than in AL POMC mRNA. Exposure to ethanol vapors for 14 days decreased immunoreactive beta-endorphin in plasma by approximately 82%. The observed reduction of immunoreactive beta-endorphin in plasma after long term exposure of rats to ethanol may be related to the alcohol-mediated decrease in corticotropin-releasing factor binding and adenylate cyclase activity, which, in turn, leads to decreased intracellular POMC levels through reduced production of POMC mRNA in the AL and NIL of the rat pituitary gland.