Hepatic aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in liver diseases, with particular emphasis on alcoholic liver disease.

Hepatic aldehyde dehydrogenase isozyme activity was measured in 51 patients with various types of liver diseases, including 24 patients with alcoholic liver disease, to elucidate the relationship between hepatic aldehyde dehydrogenase activity and liver disease, especially alcoholic liver disease. The levels of low-Km and total aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in the liver decreased both in alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver disease patients, who showed an isoelectric focusing pattern of the usual type. There was no significant difference in the aldehyde dehydrogenase activity between alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver disease. In alcoholic liver disease, the decrease in the activity was significantly correlated with the progression of liver histology. The activity in liver cirrhosis was significantly lower than that in the other types of alcoholic liver disease. In nonalcoholic liver disease patients, the unusual type of hepatic aldehyde dehydrogenase activity observed was not different from the unusual type observed in nonhepatobiliary disease patients. These results indicate that the reduction of hepatic low-Km aldehyde dehydrogenase activity is a change that occurs subsequent to liver damage. Genetic abnormality in aldehyde dehydrogenase may not be important in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver injury.