title: Distribution of ADH2 and ALDH2 genotypes in different populations.
abstract: The distribution of the human liver alcohol dehydrogenase, ADH2, and aldehyde dehydrogenase, ALDH2, genotypes in 21 different populations comprising Mongoloids, Caucasoids, and Negroids was determined by hybridization of the amplified genomic DNA with allele-specific oligonucleotide probes. Whereas the frequency of the ADH1(2) allele was found to be relatively high in the Caucasoids, Mexican Mestizos, Brazilian Indios, Swedish Lapps, Papua New Guineans and Negroids, the frequency of the ADH2(2) gene was considerably higher in the Mongoloids and Australian Aborigines. The atypical ALDH2 gene (ALDH2(2)) was found to be extremely rare in Caucasoids, Negroids, Papua New Guineans, Australian Aborigines and Aurocanians (South Chile). In contrast, this mutant gene was found to be widely prevalent among the Mongoloids. Individuals possessing the abnormal ALDH2 gene show alcohol-related sensitivity responses (e.g. facial flushing), have the tendency not to be habitual drinkers, and apparently suffer less from alcoholism and alcohol-related liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute für Humangenetik, Universität Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Goedde
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fritze
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meier-Tackmann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: L Z
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lisker
mesh_terms: D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase