Radioisotopic assay of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) in alcoholic liver diseases: effects of alcohol withdrawal in the LCAT activity
Pisculli, M.; Di Giovanni, M.G.
Panminerva Medica 29(4): 303-306
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-0808 PMID: 3431890 Document Number: 295998
Lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is a key-enzyme in lipid metabolism. The LCAT-controlled reaction is a transacylation: phosphatidylcholine is desacylated to lyso-phosphatidylcholine, the acyl being transferred to cholesterol, which is esterified. In this paper, the LCAT activity has been evaluated in chronic alcoholic patients with fatty liver and hepatic cirrhosis. The enzymatic assay was effected at the time of recovery, and at the time of release from the hospital, to evaluate the effects of the suspension of alcohol abuse in the LCAT activity. Its activity is lowered both in fatty liver and cirrhotic patients, and the abstinence from alcohol did not lead to any significant variation in the involvement of LCAT activity impairment.