title: Oral cancer and polymorphism of ethanol metabolising genes.
abstract: Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and a major health problem in some parts of the world. Epidemiological studies have shown that habitual alcohol consumption could be a risk factor in oral carcinogenesis, although the true involvement of alcohol is unknown. Via alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and cytochrome P450 oxidase (CYP) alcohol is metabolized to acetaldehyde, a highly toxic compound, which plays an important role in carcinogenesis. Subsequently, and during the metabolizing process, acetaldehyde becomes acetate by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Therefore, acetaldehyde levels are determined mainly by the action of ADH, CYP and ALDH. Recently, several studies have found that certain polymorphisms of genes encoding these enzymes confer a higher or lower metabolic activity and therefore different risk for certain malignancies such as oral cancer. In this review, we analyze the polymorphisms of alcohol metabolising enzymes in relation susceptibility to an oral cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, University of Basque Country/EHU, Spain.
authors.forename: Xabier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Marichalar-Mendia
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Tojo
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Acha-Sagredo
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rey-Barja
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Aguirre-Urizar
mesh_terms: D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D000431:Ethanol; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases; C018699:aldehyde dehydrogenase (NAD(P)+); D000079:Acetaldehyde