title: Effects of 5-week ethanol feeding on the liver of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 knockout mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The polymorphism of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), denoted ALDH2*2, is very common in East Asian countries, and the mutated ALDH2 protein derived from ALDH2*2 lacks the ability of acetaldehyde metabolization. Our aim was to determine the consequences of the ALDH2 polymorphism on ethanol-administered liver tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Aldh2+/+, +/-, and -/- mice were fed with ethanol solution and standard hard feed for 5 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level in the Aldh2-/- mice clearly decreased upon ethanol feeding, in contrast to Aldh2+/+ mice, in which the ALT level was unchanged. The levels of malondialdehyde, phospho extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the liver tissue all correlated with the ALT level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that ethanol intake in the presence of inactive ALDH2 decreases the serum ALT level following a decrease in oxidative stress and tumor necrosis factor-alpha secretion.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Social and Environmental Medicine, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan. matsumoa@cc.saga-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
authors.forename: Fumihiro
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mutoh
authors.forename: Toyohi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Isse
authors.forename: Tsunehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: Keiichi I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichiba
mesh_terms: D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008954:Models, Biological; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000431:Ethanol; C515029:ALDH2 protein, mouse; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000079:Acetaldehyde