Aims: 

We have studied the effect of short and long-term alcohol intake on serum levels and gene expression in rat adipose tissue of three adipokines – leptin, adiponectin and resistin.

Methods: 

Alcohol (A10, A28) and control (C) Wistar rats were fed standard laboratory diet ad libitum. Rats had ad libitum access to 6% ethanol solution in tap water as the only drinking fluid. Pair-fed (PF) animals had the same caloric intake in the form of pelleted diet as A rats had consumed during the preceding 24 h. Gene expression of adipokines in epididymal adipose tissue was determined by the rtPCR method and serum levels of adipokines by ELISA method.

Results: 

Alcohol intake (A10, A28) significantly increased serum concentrations of all three adipokines compared to C. Alcohol consumption (A10, A28) resulted in the decrease of leptin and adiponectin mRNA levels in adipose tissue. Resistin gene expression in adipose tissue was not affected neither by short or long-time alcohol intake. Only increased adiponectin gene expression positively correlated with elevated adiponectin serum levels.

Conclusion: 

We demonstrated that both short and long-term alcohol intake altered serum levels of leptin, adiponectin and resistin and also modified adipokines gene expression in epididymal adipose tissue. Increased adipokines serum concentrations could be involved in changed metabolic processes manifested by smaller adipocyte size, increased glycemia, attenuation of insulin effect on glucose transport in isolated adipocytes, decreased liver glycogen content, and modified serum and liver lipid profile.

This study was supported by the grant VEGA 2/7044/27.