Histochemical and immunohistochemical evidence for hepatic zone 3 distribution of alcohol dehydrogenase in rats

The distribution of alcohol dehydrogenase in the hepatic acinus was examined by both histochemical and immunohistochemical approaches. The immunohistochemical method using anti–alcohol dehydrogenase antibody indicated zone 3 predominance of this enzyme in the hepatic acinus, whereas a conventional histochemical method showed slight zone 1 predominance. However, when the histochemical technique was improved by using 2% glutaraldehyde instead of formalin for fixation and by adding phenazine methosulfate (0.33 mmol/L) to the staining incubation mixture, this method also supported zone 3 predominance of alcohol dehydrogenase. Evidence for zone 3 distribution of alcohol dehydrogenase may be of value in elucidating the mechanism of zone 3 liver damage by alcohol. (HEPATOLOGY 1990;12:66–69).