The effect of antecedent acute ethanol ingestion on the pancreas ultrastructure in taurocholate pancreatitis in rats.

The rat pancreas ultrastructure was examined 6, 12, and 18 h after (1) taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis and after (2) pancreatitis preceded 6 h earlier by intragastric acute 40% ethanol ingestion (5 g/kg b.w.). Pancreatic specific trypsin activity and plasma alpha-amylase were assayed at the same time intervals. The antecedent acute ethanol ingestion resulted in the evident aggravation of pancreas ultrastructural alterations. Acute pancreatitis preceded by ethanol resulted in the increase of zymogen granules number, RER channels were more irregularly distributed, autophagosomes were more abundant and degeneration of mitochondria was more advanced when compared to acute pancreatitis without ethanol ingestion. Tryptic activity increased to higher degree in all pancreatitis groups preceded by ethanol, but this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01) only after 18 h. These morphological (but not biochemical) differences progressed 12 h after pancreatitis induction. After 18 h of acute pancreatitis the number of zymogen granules decreased in previously alcoholized rats, but tryptic activity remained twofold higher that in animals not given ethanol. Other signs of cellular impairment were still more prominent in alcoholized rats. The obtained results suggest that even single acute ethanol abuse prior to acute pancreatitis does aggravate the morphological and biochemical lesions observed in this disease with possible negative consequences for the prognosis. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.