Analysis of polymorphic variants in the ADH7 gene in alcohol abusers and addicts.

Background: Environmental and genetic (in approximately 50%) factors are responsible for the development of alcohol abuse and dependence. The main genes responsible for the risk of harmful alcohol consumption are the genes encoding the enzymes of ethanol metabolism in the human body. Ethyl alcohol is oxidized to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenases found in the liver (ADH1B, ADH1C and ADH4) and stomach (ADH7). Gastric metabolism of ethanol is able to reduce the amount of alcohol reaching the bloodstream by up to 10% of the dose taken. ADH7 gene variations could be associated as the risk of developing alcohol abuse and dependence.

Aim: Analysis of tag SNPs in the ADH7 gene and determination of the relationship between those variants and the risk of developing alcohol abuse and dependence in the Polish population.

Material and methods: Blood samples from 159 autopsies from alcohol abusers and/or addicts and 201 buccal swabs taken from controls. Genotyping was performed using the Real Time PCR method with TaqMan probes on 3 tag SNPs: rs284786, rs1154470 (within the ADH7 gene) and rs7690269 (from the intergenic region). The obtained genotypes were randomly verified by Sanger sequencing.

Results and conclusions: The results of the performed statistical analyses of the obtained genotypes did not confirm the relationship between the above-mentioned variants and a risk of developing problems with alcohol consumption, based on samples from the Polish population.