Food proteins and gut mucosal barrier. IV. Effects of acute and chronic ethanol administration on handling and uptake of bovine serum albumin by rat small intestine.

The effects of ethanol exposure on small intestinal handling and uptake of radiolabeled bovine serum albumin were investigated using everted gut sacs. There was less breakdown of BSA after acute ethanol administration in vitro and after acute and chronic in vivo exposure. Thus, the vascular compartment of the small intestine was confronted with more complete and potentially more antigenic material after ethanol. Changes in BSA binding and uptake after acute exposure were shown to be reversible after 4-6 hr. In all groups, there was more BSA binding when the small intestine was exposed to ethanol. This difference was most pronounced after chronic exposure. In the same group, uptake of BSA was correlated with binding and significantly increased. Combined effects of ethanol on the gut mucosal barrier may account for changes in food antigen handling and uptake.