Of particular note is that we detected several baseline (nonethanol exposure related) abnormalities consisting of higher levels of serum ALT, hepatic cholesterol, DNA damage, and IL-1β mRNA, and lower levels of insulin receptor binding (BMAX) and affinity (higher Kd), and insulin responsive gene expression (GAPDH), consistent with insulin resistance, in LE compared with FS rats who proved to be fairly resistant to ethanol-mediated liver injury. The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is Insulin resistance.