title: Aldehyde dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.2.1.3) in chronic alcoholic liver diseases.
abstract: Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity in liver biopsy specimens was considerably reduced in alcoholic cirrhosis (n = 5), elevated in alcoholic fatty liver (n = 11)--probably due to enzyme induction--only slightly elevated in alcoholic hepatitis (n = 6), but unaffected in non-alcoholic liver diseases (n = 23) in comparison with specimens obtained from patients with minimal liver lesions. We will argue as a working hypothesis that alcoholics with induced ALDH activity will mainly develop fatty liver, whereas reduced hepatic ALDH appears to be a reason for elevated acetaldehyde levels followed by additional liver injury and progression at least for alcoholic cirrhosis.
mesh_terms: D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D001706:Biopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000201:enzymology; D006519:Hepatitis, Alcoholic / Q000201:enzymology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000201:enzymology; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase