Association of alcohol dehydrogenase polymorphisms and life-style factors with excessive alcohol intake within the Spanish population (EPIC-Spain).
OBJECTIVE
To analyse associations between alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) polymorphisms and alcohol intake in Spanish men and women.


METHODS
We analysed the relationship between 21 genetic variants in ADH genes and excessive alcohol intake in both men and women. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped using a customized array and a sex-stratified analysis was performed.


METHODS
Ethanol intake was calculated using a validated dietary history questionnaire.


METHODS
Heavy consumers of alcohol (≥70 g/day in men, ≥42 g/day in women) (653 cases) and very low or non-consumers (<2 g/day) (880 controls) from the Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC).


RESULTS
We found statistically significant associations between alcohol intake and known life-style factors; namely, smoking and food energy intake (meat and fruit/seeds) in both men and women, as well as with physical activity in women and educational level in men. Additionally, we found that a non-synonymous coding SNP in ADH1B (rs1229984) is associated inversely with excessive alcohol intake in men [odds ratio (OR) = 0.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.11-0.33; P = 4.77E(-10) ) and women (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.27-0.83; P = 0.0067). Furthermore, ADH6 rs3857224 was found associated with heavy alcohol intake in women (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.21-2.14; P = 1.01E(-3) ), but not in men.


CONCLUSIONS
In the Spanish population, the single nucleotide polymorphism of alcohol dehydrogenase ADH1B, rs1229984, is associated inversely with alcohol intake in both men and women. Another polymorphism of ADH6, rs3857224, is associated with heavy alcohol intake in women.
Molecular Epidemiology Group, Translational Research Laboratory, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO-IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.
Xavier
X
Muñoz
Pilar
P
Amiano
David
D
Celorrio
Miren
M
Dorronsoro
María-José
MJ
Sánchez
José M
JM
Huerta
Aurelio
A
Barricarte
Larraitz
L
Arriola
Carmen
C
Navarro
Esther
E
Molina-Montes
M Dolores
MD
Chirlaque
Eva
E
Ardanaz
Laudina
L
Rodriguez
Eric J
EJ
Duell
Elizabeth
E
Hijona
Marta
M
Herreros-Villanueva
Núria
N
Sala
Luis
L
Bujanda
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
C489332:ADH1B protein, human; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase