Genetic polymorphism of alcohol dehydrogenase 3 in digestive tract alcohol damage.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Genetic polymorphism of enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism plays a relevant role in etiopathogenesis of alcohol disease. The aim of the present study was to find in the Polish population the ADH3 genotypes, which are likely to be responsible for higher susceptibility to alcohol disease of the liver and chronic alcohol pancreatitis.

METHODOLOGY

The ADH3 genotype and ADH31 and ADH32 alleles frequency were examined in 266 patients. Genotyping of the ADH3 was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methods on white cell DNA.

RESULTS

The genotype ADH31/ADH31 was found to be significantly more frequent in alcohol abusers compared to non-drinkers. The examinations of the group of alcohol abusers showed that the genotype ADH32/ADH32 occurred statistically significantly less frequently in patients with chronic pancreatitis than those without alimentary lesions and patients with cirrhosis. Thus it is likely to be the protective factor of chronic pancreatitis.

CONCLUSIONS

The alleles ADH31 and genotype ADH31/ADH31 were significantly more frequent in men than in women, while alleles ADH32 and genotype ADH32/ADH32 were more common in women. This may account for rarer alcohol addiction observed in Polish women.