Alcohol Pattern Consumption Differently Affects the Efficiency of Macrophage Reverse Cholesterol Transport in Vivo.

Abstract

It has been well established that moderate alcohol consumption inversely correlates with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, whereas binge alcohol drinking increases cardiovascular disease risk. The aim of this study was to assess in vivo the impact of different drinking patterns on reverse cholesterol transport (RCT); the atheroprotective process leading to the removal of excess cholesterol from the body. RCT was measured with a standardized, radioisotope-based technique in three groups of atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein E knock out mice: Placebo group, receiving water, which would mimic the abstainers; moderate group, receiving 0.8 g/kg alcohol/day for 28 days, which would mimic a moderate intake; binge group, receiving 0.8 g/kg alcohol/day for 5 days/week, followed by the administration of 2.8 g/kg alcohol/day for 2 days/week, which would mimic a heavy intake in a short period. Mice in the binge drinking group displayed an increase in total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and non-HDL-c (all p < 0.0001 vs. placebo), and a significantly reduced elimination of fecal cholesterol. The moderate consumption did not lead to any changes in circulating lipids, but slightly improved cholesterol mobilization along the RCT pathway. Overall, our data confirm the importance of considering not only the total amount, but also the different consumption patterns to define the impact of alcohol on cardiovascular risk.

• Authors: Daniela Greco, Simone Battista, Laura Mele, Antonio Piemontese, Bianca Papotti, Stefania Cavazzini, Francesco Potì, Giulia Di Rocco, Andrea Poli, Franco Bernini, Ilaria Zanotti
• Journal: Nutrients (Nutrients) Vol. 10 Issue 12 (Dec 03 2018) ISSN: 2072-6643 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 30513887 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Apolipoproteins E
• Ethanol
• Cholesterol

Topics

• Alcohol Drinking
• Animals
• Apolipoproteins E (metabolism)
• Biological Transport (drug effects)
• Cholesterol (metabolism)
• Ethanol (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Macrophages (drug effects, metabolism)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL