icon caret-left icon caret-right instagram pinterest linkedin facebook twitter goodreads question-circle facebook circle twitter circle linkedin circle instagram circle goodreads circle pinterest circle

Genetic Linkage

Upchuck Factor: Alcoholism Targeted With Novel Gene Therapy

The intense nausea that follows drinking alcohol for people with a certain gene variant may become the basis for a gene therapy to prevent alcohol use disorder, the new medicalized term for alcoholism. It would work much like the drug Antabuse, used for more than half a century, but on a less fleeting permanent basis.

Cells process ethanol, the type of alcohol in beverages, in two steps, each controlled by an enzyme. First ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase) speeds the reaction of ethanol to form acetaldehyde. Then ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) breaks down the acetaldehyde into acetic acid, aka vinegar.

But if that second enzyme isn’t working well, acetaldehyde builds up, and nausea ensues. Because throwing up is so unpleasant, individuals who tend to upchuck after drinking avoid alcohol. Read More 
Be the first to comment