Long-term alcoholizationis followed by the disturbances in peptide catabolism in rat brain

Effects of long-term alcoholization on alanyl-aminepeptidase (AAP) and leucyl-aminepeptidase (LAP) activities in neurons of layers III and V of rat sensorimotor cortex were investigated. Experimental rats during 8 months have received 15 % ethanol solution as a sole source of liquid. Enzyme activities were revealed histochemically at 0, 12, 24 hours and 7 days after ethanol withdrawal. Immediately after withdrawal both enzyme activities in layer III were decreased and in layer V - increased. In subsequent periods LAP activities in neurons of both layers were increasing and AAP activities - were decreasing. The significance of disturbances of aminepeptidase activities in neuropeptide metabolism in the brain under alcoholization is discussed.