Effects of Ethanol on Intestinal Permeability and Integrity

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Alcohol consumption is a major health problem worldwide. It affects all systems of the body especially the gastrointestinal tract. Acute or chronic alcohol consumption has deleterious effects on the gastrointestinal mucosa vary from increased intestinal permeability, structural changes to sever destruction of the epithelial lining cells. Human data are still limited and most of the studies were performed in chronic alcohol abusers. The investigators hypothesize that moderate alcohol drinking also may increase small intestinal permeability and contribute to the subsequent disruption of the tight junction complex. This study may provide more insight into the effects of moderate alcohol drinking on the small intestinal permeability.

Official Title
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The Effect of Ethanol on Intestinal Permeability and Integrity in Healthy Individuals

Conditions
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Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Gastroduodenoscopy- Intraduodenal intubation


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Signed informed consent form. Male gender to avoid the gender-related differences in ethanol metabolism. Between 18-45 years to avoid age-related changes in ethanol metabolism39. Normal medical history and physical examination. Normal liver function tests (i.e. ALT, AST, and γGT) according to the reference values for normal ranges of the liver enzymes at the laboratory of clinical chemistry of the Maastricht University Medical Center. Caucasian ethnicity. BMI=18 - 30 kg/m2. Exclusion Criteria: History of gastro-intestinal disorders or abdominal surgery. History of alcohol abuse or current excessive alcohol consumption (> 2 alcoholic beverages per day or > 14 alcoholic beverages per week)40. Recent or chronic medications that may interact with ethanol metabolism or intestinal permeability i.e., NSAIDs, benzodiazepines and antidepressants. Smoking.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 45 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: alcohol<br>Intraduodenal infusion of ethanol | Device: Gastroduodenoscopy- Intraduodenal intubation<br>* 20 g ethanol diluted up to 10% in tap water<br>|
| Other: Ethanol<br> | Device: Gastroduodenoscopy- Intraduodenal intubation<br>* 20 g ethanol diluted up to 10% in tap water<br>|
| Experimental: Placebo<br>Intraduodenal infusion of tap water | Device: Gastroduodenoscopy- Intraduodenal intubation<br>* 20 g ethanol diluted up to 10% in tap water<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| To assess intestinal permeability by means of sugar permeability testing after intraduodenal administration of ethanol. |  | 2 years | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| To assess tight junctions structure and proteins in biopsy specimens after intraduodenal administration of ethanol. |  | 2 years | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Permeability, tight junctions, cytokines, inflammatory bowel diseases, The effect of alcohol on the intestinal permeability may have major consequences on health., It's generally accepted that an increased intestinal permeability in alcoholic subjects lead, to translocation of bacterial endotoxins from the gut lumen into the portal vein and then to the liver., In the liver, endotoxins trigger the immune system and activate the resident macrophages, Kupffer cells., Activation of Kupffer cells leads to production of chemokines (IL-8) and, proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1, TNFα),resulting in hepatocytes damage, inflammation, fibrosis and finally cirrhosis.