Genetic study of alcoholism and novel gene expression in the alcoholic brain.
Alcohol dependence may result from neuroadaptation involving alteration of gene expression after long-term alcohol exposure. The systematic study of gene expression profiles of the human alcoholic brain was initiated using the method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-differential display and was followed by DNA microarray. To date, more than 100 alcohol-responsive genes have been identified from the frontal cortex, motor cortex and nucleus accumbens of the human brain. These genes have a wide range of functions in the brain and indicate diverse actions of alcohol on neuronal function. This review discusses the current information on the genetic basis of alcoholism and the induction and characterization of these alcohol-responsive genes.
Fan
Li
L
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. lfan@justine.umontreal.ca
Bellinger
Frederick
F
Ge
Yong-Liang
YL
Wilce
Peter
P
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins