Effect of ethanol on androgen receptors in the anterior pituitary, hypothalamus and brain cortex in rats

Alcohol shifts gut microbial networks and ameliorates a murine model of neuroinflammation in a sex-specific pattern

Alcohol is a widely consumed dietary component by patients with autoimmune neuroinflammatory diseases, but current evidence on the effects of alcohol in these conditions is confounding. Epidemiological studies suggest moderate consumption of alcohol may be protective in some autoimmune diseases; however, this correlation has not been directly investigated. Here, we characterize the effects of moderate-dose alcohol in a model system of autoimmune neuroinflammation, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Male and female C57BL/6J mice were fed a 2.6% alcohol or isocaloric diet for 3 wk prior to MOG_35-55 EAE induction. Surprisingly, alcohol-fed males experienced significantly greater disease remission compared to alcohol-fed females and control-fed counterparts. We observed a male-specific decrease in microglial density in alcohol-consuming animals in cervical and thoracic spinal cord in late-stage disease. In the gut, alcohol diet resulted in several sex-specific alterations in key microbiota known for their regulatory immune roles, including Turicibacter, Akkermansia, Prevotella, and Clostridium Using a correlation network modeling approach, we identified unique bacterial modules that are significantly enriched in response to treatment and sex, composed of Clostridial taxa and several Firmicutes known to be protective in EAE. Together, these data demonstrate the potential of alcohol to significantly alter the course of autoimmunity differentially in males and females via effects on gut bacterial networks and support further need to evaluate dose and sex-specific alcohol effects in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune neuroinflammatory conditions.

Chronic alcohol intake, resistance training, and muscle androgen receptor content

INTRODUCTION

Chronic alcohol intake and resistance training (RT) have opposite effects on muscle physiology.

PURPOSE

This study examined the effect of chronic alcohol intake on androgen receptor (AR) content in skeletal muscle to determine whether this effect was influenced by RT.

METHODS

A total of 48 male Sprague Dawley(R) rats (mass = 456 +/- 1 g; mean +/- SE) were divided into five groups: baseline (N = 8), sedentary + alcohol (Sed-Al) (N = 8), sedentary + normal diet (Sed-Nml) (N = 8), exercise + alcohol (Ex-Al) (N = 12), and exercise + normal diet (Ex-Nml) (N = 12). Exercise groups completed a 6 1/3-wk "squat" RT protocol; alcohol groups received an ethanol-rich (35% caloric content of alcohol) diet throughout the 6 1/3-wk period. Baseline animals were killed at the onset of the 6 1/3-wk training period.

RESULTS

Western blot analysis showed no effect of alcohol or RT on the AR of the extensor digitorum longus. Alcohol significantly reduced AR content of the rectus femoris (P < 0.05) and prevented RT-induced increases in AR content of the soleus.

CONCLUSION

Chronic alcohol intake appeared to reduce the AR content of the type IIB fiber-predominant rectus femoris, and this reduction was not affected by RT. In the type I-predominant soleus, chronic alcohol intake alone had no effect but seemed to prevent RT-induced increases in AR content.

Spermatogenic arrest and 'Sertoli cell-only' syndrome--common alcohol-induced disorders of the human testis

The effect of alcohol on spermatogenesis and morphometric analysis of the human testis was investigated in a prospective autopsy study, with detailed alcohol-use reports from relatives or friends of the deceased. The autopsy series comprised non-alcoholic controls (daily intake < 10 g; n = 32) and heavy-drinkers (n = 44) with an intake of > 80 g per day. Of the controls, 26 (81.3%) men showed normal spermatogenesis, and six (18.7%) partial spermatogenic arrest. Of the heavy drinkers, only 16 (36.4%) had normal spermatogenesis (p < 0.001), while 23 (52.3%) showed partial or complete spermatogenic arrest (p < 0.001) and five had Sertoli cell-only (SCO) syndrome (p < 0.05). The mean testicular weight of heavy-drinkers was slightly (p < 0.05) lower than in the controls. Compared to men with normal spermatogenesis, testicular weight was slightly lower both in controls and heavy-drinkers with spermatogenic arrest, and was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in heavy-drinking men with SCO syndrome. Spermatogenic arrest was not correlated with fatty liver or cirrhosis of the liver, whereas four of the five men with SCO syndrome exhibited a fatty liver. Thus, our results suggest that the most common alcohol-related pathological change in the testes is probably reversible arrest of spermatogenesis. Furthermore, we suggest that many heavy social drinkers may suffer from self-inflicted infertility, as one tenth of heavy-drinkers in our study had SCO syndrome.

The effect of in vitro ethanol exposure on luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone mRNA levels, content, and secretion

It has been previously shown that acute ethanol (EtOH) exposure in vivo resulted in suppression of serum LH and pituitary beta-LH subunit mRNA levels in castrated male rats. While serum FSH levels also were noted to fall after in vivo, the mRNA for beta-FSH was not altered. The aim of the present studies was to determine whether these effects could be accounted for by a direct EtOH effect at pituitary level. To this end we examined the direct effect of EtOH on LH and FSH synthesis and secretion utilizing dispersed anterior pituitary cells from gonadectomized adult male rats. After a 72 hour post dissociation healing period, the cells were exposed to media containing 0 or 200 mg% EtOH for one hour. The media was removed and the cells incubated with EtOH-free media for an additional 1, 3 or 6 hrs. In the EtOH exposed cells, secretion of both LH and FSH increased to > 300% (p < 0.001) of control. At 6 hrs after withdrawal of EtOH a significant reduction in both LH and FSH secretion was seen. Intracellular content of LH and FSH was unchanged before and after withdrawal of EtOH. Steady state levels of beta LH and beta FSH mRNA were unchanged at all time points. In a separate series of experiments, pituitary cells from gonadectomized adult male rats were continuously exposed to different concentrations of EtOH ranging from 0-400 mg% for 3 hrs. LH secretion was stimulated by 400 mgm% EtOH only, while the intracellular content of LH was significantly reduced with the 400 mg% dose. The secretion of FSH was stimulated by 200 mg% and 400 mg% high dose EtOH after 3 hours, with concomitant reduction in FSH pituitary content at both these EtOh dose levels. The mRNA for both beta-LH and beta FSH was not different with any dose of EtOH compared to levels of control, non-EtOH exposed cells. We conclude that though there were similarities between in vivo and in vitro LH and FSH responses to EtOH, the differences reported here indicate that the in vivo responses are not totally explained by a direct EtOH effect at pituitary level. Rather, they must, in addition, reflect action at suprapituitary site(s), pituitary effects of EtOH metabolites or condensation products, and/or alterations in LH and FSH clearance.

Effects of chronic ethanol intake on aromatization of androgens and concentration of estrogen and androgen receptors in rat liver

The present study was carried out to investigate if ethanol alters aromatization of androgens and concentrations of hepatic estrogen and androgen receptors. Hepatic aromatization of androgen to estrogen was significantly increased by ethanol administration. There was a significant increase in serum estrogen level but a decreased circulating testosterone level in alcohol-fed rats. Furthermore, the concentration of estrogen receptors in liver cytosol was significantly higher in alcohol-fed rats (37 +/- 5.3 fmol/mg protein), as compared to the intact control value (21 +/- 4.8 fmol/mg protein). However, hepatic androgen receptor levels were much lower (4.4 +/- 0.5) in alcohol-fed rats than those (10.2 +/- 1.4 fmol/mg protein) in control animals. Similarly, castration increased hepatic aromatization of androgens and concentrations of serum estrogen and hepatic estrogen receptors, but it decreased contents of circulating androgen and hepatic androgen receptors. These findings indicate that alcohol administration is considered a chemical form of castration, altering the hepatic steroid metabolism and sex hormone receptor contents and contributing to the pathogenesis of feminization. A combination of alcohol-feeding and castration has no synergistic effect on the hepatic steroid receptors and aromatization, but this combination does have a more profound effect in lowering the concentration of circulating androgen.