Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access originally published online on April 19, 2006
Alcohol and Alcoholism 2006 41(4):368-371; doi:10.1093/alcalc/agl028
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ALDH2 PROMOTER POLYMORPHISM HAS NO EFFECT ON THE RISK FOR ALCOHOLISM
1 National Hospital Organization, Kurihama Alcoholism Center, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan and 2 Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Keio University, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed at: National Hospital Organization, Kurihama Alcoholism Center, 5-3-1 Nobi, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 2390841, Japan. Tel.: +81 46 848 1550; Fax: +81 46 849 7743; E-mail: shiguchi{at}wa2.so-net.ne.jp
(Received 17 October 2005; first review notified 14 December 2005; in revised form 21 March 2006; accepted 22 March 2006)
Aim: To test for the possible association between mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) promoter polymorphism and alcoholism. Methods: Genotyping to identify the polymorphisms in 515 alcoholic patients and 361 normal controls was performed. Results: There were no significant differences between the genotype and allele frequencies of the 357A/G polymorphism in alcoholics and normal controls. Linkage disequilibrium was observed between the promoter and exon 12 polymorphisms. Conclusion: These results suggest the ALDH2 promoter polymorphism does not affect the risk for alcoholism.