Proteomic profiling of experimental acute alcohol intoxication reveals FGF21 as a specific ethanol-induced hormone

In 12 fasting healthy Caucasian men given 0.7 g/kg ethanol by gastric infusion, FGF21 rose 10.5-fold, far exceeding other plasma protein changes.

• Why it matters: Acute alcohol’s effects on the human plasma proteome are not well mapped, limiting identification of endocrine factors linked to alcohol consumption and related disorders.
• What they did: A post hoc proteomic analysis measured 1,462 plasma proteins before and after five standard units of alcohol, using gastric infusion and comparing pre- vs post-intoxication levels.
• The result: Only 11 proteins changed significantly, with FGF21 showing the largest increase, supporting further study of FGF21-targeting approaches for alcohol-related conditions.

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