Nonoxidative ethanol metabolism: formation of fatty acid ethyl esters by cholesterol esterase.

Abstract

The recent identification of myocardial metabolites of ethanol, fatty acid ethyl esters, suggests that some pathophysiological derangements associated with alcohol-induced heart muscle disease may be a consequence of products of myocardial ethanol metabolism. The donor of the fatty acid moiety in the formation of fatty acid ethyl esters was identified as nonesterified fatty acid in rabbits. Fatty acid esterification with ethanol was mediated by cholesterol esterase (sterol-ester acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.13), a finding that identified a singular nonoxidative ethanol metabolism by an enzyme. A potential basis for the protective effect of ethanol ingestion on atherogenesis was also suggested because fatty acid ethyl esters inhibited cholesterol esterification catalyzed by pancreatic cholesterol esterase and hepatic and aortic microsomal fatty acyl-CoA:cholesterol O-acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.26).