Abstract
We investigated whether the reduction of plasma tyrosine in alcoholic liver disease would affect the branched-chain amino acid/tyrosine molar ratio (BTR) measured using an enzymatic assay method in alcoholic cirrhosis. BTR values were higher in patients with compensated and decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis (5.68 +/- 2.29 and 3.28 +/- 0.75) due to reduction of the tyrosine level relative to those in patients with nonalcoholic cirrhosis (3.64 +/- 1.22 and 2.53 +/- 0.99). A decrease in tyrosine level and an increase in BTR value were observed after single ethanol administration to healthy subjects. As significant elevation of serum immunoreactive insulin levels followed elevation of serum glucose levels after alcohol loading, it was thought that insulin accelerated intrahepatic metabolism of aromatic amino acids, resulting in reduction of the tyrosine level. The same mechanism may be applied to tyrosine reduction in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis during heavy drinking.
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