Gender-related differences in hepatic activity of alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes and aldehyde dehydrogenase in humans.
Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which are most abundant in the liver, are the main enzymes involved in ethanol metabolism in humans. Gender-related differences in total liver ADH and ALDH activity among different animal species have been observed in many studies. We measured total ADH and ALDH activity, and the activity of class I-IV ADH in the livers of male and female patients. Total ADH and class I and II ADH activities were significantly higher in males than in females (P=0.0052, P=0.0074, P=0.020, respectively). Class III and IV ADH and total ALDH activities were not significantly different between the genders (P=0.2917, P=0.0590, P=0.2940, respectively). The results of our study clearly show that there is a difference in enzymatic activity between male and female patients for those isoenzymes that actively participate in ethanol oxidation in the liver (class I and II ADH), although the main form of ADH in this organ is class III ADH.
Chrostek
Lech
L
Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical Academy of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. chrostek@amb.ac.bialystok.pl
Jelski
Wojciech
W
Szmitkowski
Maciej
M
Puchalski
Zbigniew
Z
D000328:Adult; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D007527:Isoenzymes; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase