Alcohol and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Genotypes and Drinking Behavior in Japanese

Abstract

The effects of the genotype of alcohol dehydrogenase-2 (ADH2) and mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) on drinking behavior were investigated in a population of 451 Japanese. Although the ALDH2*2 allele had a significant inhibitory effect on alcohol consumption, hence on drinking problems, the apparent association was not confirmed between ADH2 genotype and overall drinking patterns for either males or females. However, the frequency of the ADH2*2 allele was significantly lower in male Japanese classified as alcoholic on the basis of the Kurihama Alcoholism Screening Test than in nonalcoholic males. These results corroborate a previous study that revealed a significantly lower ADH2*2 allele frequency in hospitalized Japanese alcoholics than in the general population. Together, these studies suggest that the ALDH2*2 allele has an inhibitory effect on drinking behavior, irrespective of the level of alcohol consumption, whereas the effect of the ADH2 polymorphism only becomes apparent in individuals with higher alcohol consumption, such as alcoholics.

Association of alcohol dehydrogenase 2*1 allele with liver damage and insulin concentration in the Japanese

“…By examining the correlation between ADH2 genotype and drinking behavior, we confirmed the previous observation that ADH2 genotype influences the amount of alcohol consumed in a Japanese population (Higuchi et al 1996). In addition to alcohol consumption and percentage of drinkers, men from the ADH2*1/1 group had the highest levels of AST, ALT, and c-GTP, suggesting that they drink so much alcohol that their livers become damaged.…”

“…It is well known that drinking behavior is influenced more by ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) genotype than ADH2 genotype (Higuchi et al 1996). However, although a similar investigation was performed on the correlation between ALDH2 genotypes and their phenotype, no genetic effect of ALDH2 was found in insulin-glucose axis and liver dysfunction (Ohsawa et al 2003).…”

“…Several studies (Higuchi et al 1996;Yamauchi et al 2001) have reported that the ADH2 genotype is associated with excess alcohol intake and alcohol-related disorders in the Japanese population. We have previously reported that the ADH2 genotype affected LDL-cholesterol levels and the occurrence of cerebral infarction in a communitydwelling Japanese population (Suzuki et al 2004).…”

O Conhecimento de diferenças raciais pode evitar reações idiossincrásicas na anestesia?

“…Estudos clínicos apontam para o aspecto multifatorial do alcoolismo e demonstram que este loci dopaminérgico não exclui a coparticipação na gênese do alcoolismo de ansiedade, depressão e personalidade anti-social. Nos asiáticos ocorreu mutação do gene da aldeído-desidrogenase mitocondrial (ALDH2), responsável pelo acúmulo de aldeído após a ingestão de etanol, facilitando a embriaguês [83][84][85] . Traços genéticos de maior sensibilidade etanólica são comuns nos asiáticos e japoneses, em particular, em função da menor metabolização mitocondrial hepática.…”

“…Traços genéticos de maior sensibilidade etanólica são comuns nos asiáticos e japoneses, em particular, em função da menor metabolização mitocondrial hepática. Assim, deficiência da desidrogenase NADH-dependente aumenta a sensibilidade ao álcool na população amarela e também na negra, exacerbando a ressaca aldeídica 70,83 . Em comparação à população branca, o alcoolismo provoca nos negros anormalidade mais profunda na arquitetura do sono (maior latência e redução de sono paradoxal), além de baixar a imunidade por reduzir a IL-6 e o linfócito matador (CD8), acarretando maiores taxas de doenças infecciosas 87,88 .…”