Changes in lipid composition of rat heart mitochondria after chronic ethanol administration.

Triacylglycerols and phospholipids of mitochondria from heart ventricular muscle were analyzed following chronic ethanol administration (2 and 10 g/kg of body weight/day) to adult rats for 21 days via intragastric intubation. Triacylglycerols were elevated 57% in the high ethanol group as compared to controls, but cholesterol level was not altered. Most of the phospholipids, including lysophospholipids, showed a small increase in level after ethanol administration. However the greatest increase (50%) occurred in ethanolamine plasmalogens. Although small changes in the acyl group composition of phosphatidylethanolamines and phosphatidylcholines were observed, the acyl group profile of cardiolipin remained unaltered. It is concluded that myocardial membranes respond to the disordering effects of ethanol by altering the synthesis of selected lipids more than through altering the phospholipid acyl group composition. Some of these changes may be responsible for altered mitochondrial functions in the myocardium.