title: Association of an aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene polymorphism with hyper-low-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia in a Japanese population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relationship among alcohol metabolism, lipid profile and cardiovascular disease has been a matter of concern, and aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) is one of the key enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism. The frequency of ALDH2 gene G/A polymorphism (with the substitution of glutamic acid to lysine) varies widely among ethnic groups; the polymorphism is prevalent among Asian people but rare in other ethnic groups. The objective of our study was to investigate the association between the ALDH2 gene G/A polymorphism and lipid profile, including the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) status, in a general Japanese population with no or light-to-moderate alcohol drinking habits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric and biochemical variables including lipid- and glucose-related factors were measured in a total of 383 Japanese participants (170 males and 213 females; mean age, 45 +/- 8.6 years), free of cardiovascular disease. All participants were genotyped by an allele-specific DNA assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The numbers of participants with the G/ G, G/A and A/A genotypes were 213, 139 and 31, respectively. The percentages of hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia (identified by LDL-C > or = 3.63 mmol/L) were 31.9%, 45.3% and 29.0% in participants with the G/G, G/A and A/A genotypes, respectively. Carrying the G/A + AA genotype was a significant and positive factor related to hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia with an odds ratio of 1.62 (95% CI: 1.04-2.52) after adjusting for the other variables including drinking status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the ALDH2 gene G/A polymorphism can affect the lipid profile such as LDL-C status in this population. The association between the polymorphism and LDL-C status warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto 612-8555, Japan. kazukotani@jichi.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kotani
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakane
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; C096127:ALDH2 protein, human; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial