Genetic association between aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) variation and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) among non-drinkers in two large population samples in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
Moderate alcohol consumption appears to confer some protection against coronary heart disease, which is related to an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The genotype of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is closely related to alcohol metabolism but a relationship between ALDH2 genotypes and HDL-C levels has not been proven. We undertook a large-scale correlation study between HDL-C levels and ALDH2 genotype among Japanese non-drinkers to investigate the possibility that HDL-C levels could be associated with ALDH2 genotype.


METHODS
We examined a population-based sample of Japanese subjects who do not consume alcohol (n=1,736) to investigate the relationship between ALDH2 genotypes and lipid or lipoprotein concentrations in serum. We also investigated whether an association between ALDH2 genotype and HDL-C levels might be found in another Japanese sample.


RESULTS
In an independent population of non-drinkers from a different geographical region of Japan, HDL-C levels were associated with the same ALDH2 genotypes.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study suggested that genetic variation in the ALDH2 gene can influence HDL-C levels, independent of alcohol consumption.
Wada
Manabu
M
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University, Japan. mwada@yacht.ocn.ne.jp
Daimon
Makoto
M
Emi
Mitsuru
M
Iijima
Hiroshi
H
Sato
Hidenori
H
Koyano
Satoru
S
Tajima
Katsushi
K
Kawanami
Toru
T
Kurita
Keiji
K
Hunt
Steven C
SC
Hopkins
Paul N
PN
Kubota
Isao
I
Kawata
Sumio
S
Kato
Takeo
T
D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011159:Population Surveillance
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; C096127:ALDH2 protein, human; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial