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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Aug 1.
Published in final edited form as: Alcohol. 2008 May 27;42(5):349–361. doi: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2008.03.131

Figure 2. Role of acetaldehyde in increasing intestinal permeability to endotoxin: a proposed mechanism.

Figure 2

Acetaldehyde may increase intestinal permeability to endotoxin by decreasing the activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase in the intestinal epithelial paracellular space. This results in the increased tyrosine phosphorylation of tight junction proteins (occludin and ZO-1) and adherens junction proteins (E-cadherin and β-catenin). Increased phosphorylation of these proteins leads to their redistribution from intercellular junctions to intracellular compartments and that probably results in increased intestinal permeability to endotoxin.