Activity of class I and II alcohol dehydrogenase in the sera of alcoholics.

The activity of class I and II alcohol dehydrogenases in the sera of alcoholics was estimated using specific and highly sensitive fluorogenic substrates. It was found that serum class I activity was increased about 2 fold above that of the control group. No such increase was observed in the activity of class II, and we did not find a significant difference in non-alcoholics. The total alcohol dehydrogenase activity measured by classical spectrophotometric methods at pH 9.2 confirmed the increase of class I alcohol dehydrogenase. Additionally, the activity of liver injury markers were detected. Only gamma-glutamyltransferase activity exceeded the normal range. Based on the results of the present study, we would suggest that the significant elevated serum activity of class I alcohol dehydrogenase may be derived not from liver cells, because they did not display the obvious enzymatic markers, but from different organs, especially the gastrointestinal tract. The tissue distribution of alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes and gamma-glutamyltransferase would help to confirm this possibility.