Ethanol metabolism by alcohol dehydrogenase or cytochrome P 2E1 differentially impairs hepatic protein trafficking and growth hormone signaling.

The liver metabolizes alcohol using alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and cytochrome P 2E1 (CYP2E1). Both enzymes metabolize ethanol into acetaldehyde, but CYP2E1 activity also results in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that promote oxidative stress. We have previously shown that microtubules are hyperacetylated in ethanol-treated polarized, hepatic WIF-B cells and livers from ethanol-fed rats.