Low Alanine Aminotransferase Levels in Alcohol Consuming Male Subjects, Carriers of the Common ALDH2 Deficient Variant, ALDH2*2.

ABSTRACT: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is a commonly used indicator of hepatocellular injury in clinical liver disease practice. While a variety of factors influence serum ALT levels, we focus here on the effect of alcohol consumption on ALT levels in the context of the common East Asian aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) dysfunctional polymorphism, ALDH2*2 (or rs671 E504K missense variant). ALDH2 plays a key role in the detoxification of alcohol-derived metabolite, acetaldehyde. Four of the five studies identified from a literature search showed that individuals with the ALDH2*1/*2 heterozygous genotypes had ALT levels below the normal range if they consume alcoholic beverages despite having only 10%-38% of the normal ALDH2 activity. This effect is consistent and more pronounced in men in studies f

SUBMITTER: Seike T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12695519 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature