title: Effect of alcohol consumption on peripheral blood Alu methylation in Korean men.
abstract: Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are defined as alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, which create a substantial public health problem worldwide. To date, no therapeutic can effectively solve these problems. They are complex diseases characterized by both genetic and environmental factors. DNA methylation can act as a downstream effector of environmental signals and account for multi-factorial nature of the disease. Global DNA methylation of peripheral blood cells has recently been proposed as a potential biomarker for disease risk. Alu elements host one-quarter of CpG dinucelotides in the genome to function as proxies for global DNA methylation. In this study, we evaluated the Alu methylation in the peripheral blood DNA of healthy volunteers and AUD patients using the pyrosequencing technology. The Alu methylation level is significantly higher in AUD compared to healthy controls (23.4 ± 1.6 versus 22.1 ± 1.0, t = 7.83, p < 0.0001). Moreover, significant correlation was found between Alu methylation and alcohol use disorders identification test score (r = 0.250, p < 0.0001), alcohol problem (r = 0.294, p < 0.0001), and life position (r = -0.205, p = 0.0005). Overall, these novel findings indicate that alcohol-related increase in Alu methylation might play a complex role in the etiology and pathogenesis of AUD. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this relationship.
authors: a Department of Anatomy .
authors: Dong-Sun
authors: DS
authors: Kim
authors: a Department of Anatomy .
authors: Young Hun
authors: YH
authors: Kim
authors: b Department of Preventive Medicine , College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University , Daegu , Republic of Korea , and.
authors: Won Kee
authors: WK
authors: Lee
authors: c School of Medicine, College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University , Daegu , Republic of Korea.
authors: Yeon Kyung
authors: YK
authors: Na
authors: c School of Medicine, College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University , Daegu , Republic of Korea.
authors: Hae Sook
authors: HS
authors: Hong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D000438:Alcohols / Q000009:adverse effects; D020087:Alu Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D015415:Biomarkers; D004247:DNA
keywords: AUDIT score; Alcohol; Alu methylation; pyrosequencing