title: Alcohol abusers exhibit a higher IgA response to acetaldehyde-modified proteins.
abstract: In the present study we have used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the immunoreactivity towards acetaldehyde-modified proteins in plasma from alcoholics, patients with non-alcoholic liver disease and control social drinkers. All three groups showed a response to modified proteins when total immunoglobulin binding was measured. However, when the assay was modified such that class-specific immunoglobulin binding was measured, it was found that the alcoholic response had a significantly greater immunoglobulin A component than patients with non-alcoholic liver disease or controls who were social drinkers. Thus measurement of IgA binding to acetaldehyde-modified proteins may be a marker for alcohol abuse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Worrall
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Jersey
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Shanley
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Wilce
mesh_terms: D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D000079:Acetaldehyde