[ 3 H]‐OUABAIN BINDING TO PERIPHERAL ORGANS OF CATS: EFFECT OF ETHANOL

1 The specific [ 3 H]‐ouabain binding to microsomal fractions derived from cat heart, liver, spleen, and kidney increased significantly following chronic administration of ethanol. 2 Since ouabain binds exclusively to cell membrane (Na + + K + )‐adenosine triphosphatase ((Na + + K + )‐ATPase), these results provide evidence for an increase in number of (Na + + K + )‐ATPase macromolecules during chronic alcoholism. 3 The importance of the increase in number of (Na + + K + )‐ATPase molecules in the adaptive increase in ethanol metabolism and cardiac myopathy in chronic alcoholism is discussed.