ALDH2 Polymorphism and Ethanol Consumption: A Genetic-Environmental Interaction in Carcinogenesis.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is a key enzyme in the detoxification of toxic aldehydes, especially acetaldehyde, which is commonly considered as a carcinogen. ALDH2 mutation and impaired enzymatic activity will cause acetaldehyde accumulation and thus participate in the development of cancers. It deserves more attention since around 40% of East Asian population carry the inactive ALDH2 allele. Moreover, the risk for cancers will be even higher when ALDH2 mutation combined with heavy alcohol consumption, suggesting a genetic-environmental interaction in carcinogenesis. This may provide us with a potential target for cancer prevention and treatment.

Tracing Jomon and Yayoi ancestries in Japan using ALDH2 and JC virus genotype distributions.

BACKGROUND: According to the dual structure model, the modern Japanese ethnic population consists of a mixture of the Jomon people, who have existed in Japan since at least the New Stone Age, and the Yayoi people, who migrated to western Japan from China around the year 300 bc Some reports show that the Yayoi are linked to a mutation of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene (ALDH2). Recent viral studies indicate two major groups found in the Japanese population: a group with the CY genotype JC virus (JCV) and a group with the MY genotype JCV. It is unclear whether either genotype of the JC virus is related to the Jomon or Yayoi. In this study, we attempted to detect JCV genotypes and ALDH2 mutations from the DNA of 247 Japanese urine samples to clarify the relationship between the dual structure model and the JCV genotype through ALDH2 mutation analysis and JCV genotyping. FINDINGS: The ALDH2 polymorphism among 66 JC virus-positive samples was analyzed, and it was found that the ALDH2 variant is significantly higher in the population with CY genotype JCV (51.5 %) than in the population with the MY genotype (24.2 %) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: From these findings, it may be inferred that the ALDH2 mutation, which is related to the Yayoi, is related to CY genotype JCV. When the Yayoi migrated to the Japanese archipelago, they brought the ALDH2 mutation as well as the CY genotype JCV.