Ethanol is metabolized into acetaldehyde in most tissues. In this study, we investigated the synergistic effect of ethanol and acetaldehyde on the tight junction integrity in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Expression of alcohol dehydrogenase sensitized Caco-2 cells to ethanol-induced tight junction disruption and barrier dysfunction, whereas aldehyde dehydrogenase attenuated acetaldehyde-induced tight...

The thermal oxidation of propane in the temperature range 350-425oC was studied in order to elucidate the role of higher aldehydes as degenerate branching intermediates in the oxidation of hydrocarbons. In the slow combustion of propane, the high yield of propylene and methanol as the primary products, the formation of hydrogen peroxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde and steam a...

Many human gastrointestinal facultative anaerobic and aerobic bacteria possess alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity and are therefore capable of oxidizing ethanol to acetaldehyde. We examined whether human gastrointestinal lactobacilli (three strains), bifidobacteria (five strains) and probiotic Lactobacillus GG ATCC 53103 are also able to metabolize ethanol and acetaldehyde in vitro. Acetaldeh...

Acetaldehyde is the first active breakdown product (i.e., metabolite) generated during alcohol metabolism. It has toxic properties but also exerts other actions on the body (i.e., has pharmacological properties). Recent studies have shown that the direct administration of acetaldehyde, especially into the brain, induces several effects that mimic those of alcohol. High doses of acetaldehyde ind...

The pharmacological effects of amphetamine, procaine, procainamide, DOPA, isoproterenol, and atenolol upon activated partial thromboplastin time in the absence and presence of acetaldehyde have been investigated. In the absence of acetaldehyde, amphetamine and isoproterenol exhibit a procoagulant effect upon activated partial thromboplastin time, whereas atenolol and procaine display anticoagul...

The distribution of free and bound acetaldehyde in human blood was studied. Fresh whole blood was precipitated with a perchloric acid (PCA) in saline solution and an aliquot of the crude sample was taken for determination of 'total' acetaldehyde. The remaining sample was centrifuged and the clear supernatant taken for analysis of 'soluble' acetaldehyde. 'Bound' acetaldehyde was calculated by su...

It has been postulated that a number of central effects of ethanol are mediated through the action of its first metabolite, acetaldehyde. In particular, acetaldehyde might be involved in the anxiolytic and hedonic effects of ethanol and is therefore believed to play an important role in alcohol abuse. In agreement with this assumption, previous studies indicated that acetaldehyde is mainly rein...

Recent studies indicate that low concentrations of acetaldehyde may function as the primary factor in alcoholic cardiomyopathy by disrupting Ca(2+) handling or disturbing cardiac excitation-contraction coupling. By producing reactive oxygen species, acetaldehyde shifts the intracellular redox potential from a reduced state to an oxidized state. We examined whether the redox state modulates acet...

Recent studies indicate that low concentrations of acetaldehyde may function as the primary factor in alcoholic cardiomyopathy by disrupting Ca handling or disturbing cardiac excitation-contraction coupling. By producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), acetaldehyde shifts the intracellular redox potential from a reduced state to an oxidized state. We examined whether the redox state modulates ac...

Immunization of mice with acetaldehyde conjugated to human plasma proteins resulted in the production of polyclonal antibodies that reacted with erythrocyte protein-acetaldehyde conjugates, but not with control erythrocyte proteins. Such antibodies recognized erythrocyte protein-acetaldehyde conjugates prepared with 20-100 microM acetaldehyde, concentrations that exist in the blood of alcoholic...