Analysis of rat liver Golgi apparatus proteins and apolipoproteins in acute ethanol intoxication

Investigation of the role of ubiquinone in rat liver subcellular compartments

The role of ubiquinone in the Golgi apparatus is still unknown, even if it might be considered as a lipid marker of the Golgi compartment because of its high content in these subcellular fractions. In vivo modulation of ubiquinone with ethanol and in vitro pentane extraction show that ubiquinone is not required either for NADH-ferricyanide reductase, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase activity, or Ca2+ and Mg2+ stimulated ATPases. Since ubiquinone does not seem to be involved in these enzymic activities in Golgi compartments, other possible functions are discussed, related to a role in membrane fluidity or as a barrier to the propagation of free radicals.

Phospholipids, vitamin A and ubiquinone of the Golgi apparatus subfractions from rat liver after acute ethanol intoxication

Previous investigations from our laboratory have shown that during acute ethanol intoxication the Golgi apparatus seems involved in impaired dismission of lipoproteins. In the present paper the phospholipid distributions of Golgi subfractions have been analyzed in livers of normal and ethanol intoxicated rats. No significant differences in the phospholipid classes have been observed in this study. On the contrary, a decrease of vitamin A and ubiquinone in Golgi subfractions is evident. The results are briefly discussed in view of the role played by these endogenous antioxidants in the Golgi membranes and in the pathogenesis of ethanol induced fatty liver.