Effects of Functional Polymorphisms Related to Catecholaminergic Systems on Changes in Blood Catecholamine and Cardiovascular Measures After Alcohol Ingestion in the Japanese Population
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research Published Online: 18 Aug 2008

The polymorphism of human aldehyde dehyrogenase-2 (ALDH2) Glu⁴⁸⁷Lys is well known to be a crucial factor underlying the genetic background for alcohol sensitivity in Asian populations. Subjects with the inactive Lys⁴⁸⁷ allele show a marked increase in blood acetaldehyde level after alcohol intake, which results in facial flushing and various cardiovascular-related symptoms. However, other polymorphisms related to catecholaminergic systems that tightly regulate the activity of the sympathetic nervous system may also influence the physiological changes after acute alcohol intake.

Among the polymorphisms examined in this study, haplotypes of the phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) promoter [(−182bpG/A)_(−387bpG/A)] and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) exon 4 [(Ex4 + 119bpC/G)_(Ex4 + 138bpG/A), Leu¹³⁶Leu_Val¹⁵⁸Met] are suggested to have functionally important effects on alcohol-induced cardiovascular symptoms by affecting blood catecholamine levels. The neuropeptide Y (NPY) promoter C-1450T genotype is also suggested to be involved in the individual differences in regulation of catecholamine secretion.

This study suggested that these common polymorphisms of genes related to catecholaminergic systems, as well as those of the alcohol metabolizing system, are significant for understanding the basis of individual differences in alcohol sensitivity.

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Reqiest Reprint E-Mail: saijohk@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp

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