Genetic Epidemiology, Translational Neurogenomics, Psychiatric Genetics and Statistical Genetics Laboratories investigate the pattern of disease in families, particularly identical and non-identical twins, to assess the relative importance of genes and environment in a variety of important health problems.
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PMID
15967764
TITLE
Erythrocyte aldehyde dehydrogenase activity: lack of association with alcohol use and dependence or alcohol reactions in Australian twins.
ABSTRACT
AIM NlmCategory: OBJECTIVE
Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) has been advocated as a marker of alcohol intake. The absence or low levels of ALDH1 may be associated with alcohol-induced flushing or other reactions to alcohol in Europeans and therefore, with reduced alcohol use. This study tested whether variation in erythrocyte ALDH1 activity was associated with alcohol use, alcohol dependence or reactions to alcohol in unselected subjects of European descent, and whether variation in ALDH1 activity was subject to genetic influences.
METHODS NlmCategory: METHODS
ALDH activity was measured in erythrocytes from 677 men and women who had participated in a twin study of alcohol use and dependence.
RESULTS NlmCategory: RESULTS
There were no significant effects of sex, alcohol consumption or alcohol dependence on ALDH activity. Subjects who reported reactions to alcohol did not have low activity. Women aged below 45 years had lower ALDH activity than men or older women. The heritability of ALDH activity was 56% (95% confidence interval = 42-67%).
CONCLUSIONS NlmCategory: CONCLUSIONS
Previous reports that erythrocyte ALDH activity is low in alcoholics were not substantiated in this community-based sample. Associations with alcohol reactions were not found. ALDH activity varies widely between subjects, largely because of genetic factors.
DATE PUBLISHED
2005 Sep-Oct
HISTORY
PUBSTATUS PUBSTATUSDATE
aheadofprint 2005/06/20
pubmed 2005/06/22 09:00
medline 2006/01/13 09:00
entrez 2005/06/22 09:00
AUTHORS
NAME COLLECTIVENAME LASTNAME FORENAME INITIALS AFFILIATION AFFILIATIONINFO
Hansell NK Hansell Narelle K NK The Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia.
Pang D Pang Dona D
Heath AC Heath Andrew C AC
Martin NG Martin Nicholas G NG
Whitfield JB Whitfield John B JB
INVESTIGATORS
JOURNAL
VOLUME: 40
ISSUE: 5
TITLE: Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire)
ISOABBREVIATION: Alcohol Alcohol.
YEAR:
MONTH:
DAY:
MEDLINEDATE: 2005 Sep-Oct
SEASON:
CITEDMEDIUM: Print
ISSN: 0735-0414
ISSNTYPE: Print
MEDLINE JOURNAL
MEDLINETA: Alcohol Alcohol
COUNTRY: England
ISSNLINKING: 0735-0414
NLMUNIQUEID: 8310684
PUBLICATION TYPE
PUBLICATIONTYPE TEXT
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS
GRANTS
GRANTID AGENCY COUNTRY
AA007535 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA007728 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA013320 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA013321 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA013326 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA014041 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
GENERAL NOTE
KEYWORDS
MESH HEADINGS
DESCRIPTORNAME QUALIFIERNAME
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alcoholism genetics
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase genetics
Biological Markers genetics
Diseases in Twins genetics
Erythrocytes enzymology
Ethanol adverse effects
Female adverse effects
Genetic Variation adverse effects
Humans adverse effects
Isoenzymes genetics
Male genetics
Middle Aged genetics
Retinal Dehydrogenase genetics
Risk Factors genetics
Social Environment genetics
Twins, Dizygotic genetics
Twins, Monozygotic genetics
SUPPLEMENTARY MESH
GENE SYMBOLS
CHEMICALS
REGISTRYNUMBER NAMEOFSUBSTANCE
0 Biological Markers
0 Isoenzymes
3K9958V90M Ethanol
EC 1.2.1.- aldehyde dehydrogenase 1
EC 1.2.1.3 Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
EC 1.2.1.36 Retinal Dehydrogenase
OTHER ID's