ALDH2 rs671 Is Associated With Elevated FPG, Reduced Glucose Clearance and Hepatic Insulin Resistance in Japanese Men

The association between triglyceride-glucose index and the likelihood of cardiovascular disease in the U.S. population of older adults aged ≥ 60 years: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

The association between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general elderly population in the United States aged 60 and above is not well understood. The objective of our study was to examine the relationship between the TyG index and CVD likelihood in the general elderly population over 60 years of age in the United States.

METHODS

Data for this cross-sectional study were sourced from the 2003-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Weighted multivariable regression analysis and subgroup analysis were conducted to estimate the independent relationship between the TyG index and the likelihood of CVD. Non-linear correlations were explored using restricted cubic splines.

RESULTS

A total of 6502 participants were included, with a mean TyG index of 8.75 ± 0.01. The average prevalence of CVD was 24.31% overall. Participants in the higher TyG quartiles showed high rates of CVD (Quartile 1: 19.91%; Quartile 2: 21.65%; Quartile 3: 23.82%; Quartile 4: 32.43%). For CVD, a possible association between the TyG index and the odds of CVD was observed. Our findings suggest a nonlinear association between the TyG index and the odds of CVD. The threshold of 8.73 for the likelihood of CVD. Interaction terms were employed to assess heterogeneities among each subgroup, revealing a significant difference specifically in alcohol consumption. This suggests that the positive association between the TyG index and the likelihood of CVD is dependent on the drinking status of the participants.

CONCLUSION

A higher TyG index is linked to an increased likelihood of CVD in US adults aged ≥ 60 years. TyG index is anticipated to emerge as a more effective metric for identifying populations at early likelihood of CVD.

The ALDH2 gene rs671 polymorphism is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in East Asian population: an updated meta-analysis

Introduction

Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) had reported as a prominent role in the development of cardiometabolic diseases among Asians. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between ALDH2 polymorphism and cardiometabolic risk factors in East Asian population.

Method

We searched databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase updated to Oct 30th, 2023. We extracted data of BMI, Hypertension, SBP, DBP, T2DM, FBG, PPG, HbA1c, TG, TC, LDL-C and HDL-C.

Result

In total, 46 studies were finally included in our meta-analysis, containing, 54068 GG and, 36820 GA/AA participants. All outcomes related to blood pressure revealed significant results (hypertension OR=0.83 [0.80, 0.86]; SBP MD=-1.48 [-1.82, -1.14]; DBP MD=-1.09 [-1.58, -0.61]). FBG showed a significant difference (MD=-0.10 [-0.13, -0.07]), and the lipid resulted significantly in some outcomes (TG MD=-0.07 [-0.09, -0.04]; LDL-C MD=-0.04 [-0.05, -0.02]). As for subgroups analysis, we found that in populations without severe cardiac-cerebral vascular diseases (CCVDs), GG demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of T2DM (T2DM OR=0.88 [0.79, 0.97]), while the trend was totally opposite in population with severe CCVDs (T2DM OR=1.29 [1.00, 1.66]) with significant subgroup differences.

Conclusion

Our updated meta-analysis demonstrated that ALDH2 rs671 GG populations had significantly higher levels of BMI, blood pressure, FBG, TG, LDL-C and higher risk of hypertension than GA/AA populations. Besides, to the best of our knowledge, we first report GG had a higher risk of T2DM in population without severe CCVDs, and GA/AA had a higher risk of T2DM in population with severe CCVDs.Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier CRD42023389242.

Relationship between body adiposity parameters and insulin resistance: a preliminary study of surrogate markers in Japan

PURPOSE

According to the Japan National Health and Nutrition Survey 2019, the proportion of people with prediabetes is estimated to be 27.3%. Western-style dietary habits can lead to obesity and a functional abnormality of the adipose tissue, which can cause insulin resistance and predispose one to diabetes. We examined the relationship between insulin resistance using body adiposity parameters as surrogate markers.

METHODS

This study enrolled 248 healthy participants to determine the association of six body adiposity parameters, namely, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product index (LAP), waist circumference-triglyceride index (WTI), and triglyceride (TG)/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio with insulin resistance. Receiver operating characteristics curve analyses were performed to assess the accuracy of these parameters in identifying insulin resistance.

RESULTS

The data of the 248 participants (women 79 and men 169) were examined in this study. WC showed the highest accuracy in the obese women group (cut-off value: 89.8 with sensitivity: 0.900 and specificity: 0.522, AUC: 0.680) and men group (cut-off value: 90.0 with sensitivity: 0.862 and specificity: 0.508, AUC: 0.701). The TG/HDL ratio showed the highest accuracy in men with non-obesity (cut-off value: 0.8 with sensitivity: 0.857 and specificity: 0.649, AUC: 0.780).

CONCLUSION

Application of this finding should be useful in the early screening of obesity in men with non-obesity, such as during regular health check-up with the TG/HDL ratio in addition to the usually used WC, to assess insulin resistance and prevent lifestyle-related diseases that can lead to cardiovascular events.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 polymorphism is an important gene for insulin resistance in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes

Background

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is an important enzyme involved in alcohol metabolism. ALDH2 polymorphism has been reported as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and is associated with liver insulin resistance due to alcohol consumption in non-diabetic individuals. Herein, we investigated the association between ALDH2 polymorphisms and insulin resistance in patients with T2DM.

Methods

We performed a meal tolerance test and the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp on 71 Japanese participants: 34 patients with T2DM, and 37 non-diabetic participants. We analyzed the ALDH2 polymorphism (ALDH2 rs67); GG type was defined as the T2DM high-risk group, compared with the low-risk AG and AA groups.

Results

Glucose levels were similar in the high- and low-risk T2DM groups. The high-risk group for T2DM showed a significantly higher BMI (p < 0.005), insulin resistance in HOMA-IR (p < 0.05), and Insulin sensitivity index (p < 0.05); however, there were no significant differences in insulin resistance in the clamp test (p = 0.10). Alcohol consumption did not differ significantly between groups (p = 0.66). Non-diabetic participants also showed higher HOMA-IR insulin resistance in the high-risk group (p < 0.05), but insulin resistance levels in the glucose clamp tests (p = 0.56) and insulin secretion were not significant.

Conclusion

The results suggest that ALDH2 is an important gene associated with insulin resistance and obesity in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 polymorphism is associated with chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in patients with breast cancer who receive chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common but easily overlooked condition that markedly affects the quality of life (QOL) of patients with breast cancer. The rs671 is a common gene polymorphism of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in Asia that is involved in aldehyde metabolism and may be closely related to CRCI. However, no study has yet summarised the association between ALDH2 and CRCI.

METHODS

This study enrolled one hundred and twenty-four patients diagnosed with breast cancer according to the pathology results, genotyped for ALDH2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) to explore these. The mini-mental state exam (MMSE), verbal fluency test (VFT), and digit span test (DST) results were compared in these patients before and after chemotherapy (CT).

RESULTS

We found that patients with ALDH2 gene genotypes of rs671_GG, rs886205_GG, rs4648328_CC, and rs4767944_TT polymorphisms were more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment during chemotherapy. A trend toward statistical significance was observed for rs671_GG of DST (z = 2.769, p = 0.006), VFT (t = 4.624, P<0.001); rs886205_GG of DST (z = 3.663, P<0.001); rs4648328_CC of DST (z = 2.850, p = 0.004), VFT (t = 3.477, p = 0.001); and rs4767944_TT of DST (z = 2.967, p = 0.003), VFT (t = 2.776, p = 0.008). The cognitive indicators of these patients significantly decreased after chemotherapy (p < 0.05). The difference in ALDH2 rs671 was most obvious.

CONCLUSION

Our results showed what kinds of ALDH2 genotyped patients that are more likely to develop CRCI. In the future, it may be possible to infer the risk of CRCI by detecting the single-nucleotide locus of ALDH2 that is conducive to strengthening clinical interventions for these patients and improving their QOL. More importantly, this study has important implications for Asian women with breast cancer as ALDH2 rs671 is a common polymorphism in Asians.

Additional predictions for forensic DNA phenotyping of externally visible characteristics using the ForenSeq and Imagen kits

Multiplex DNA typing methods using massively parallel sequencing can be used to predict externally visible characteristics (EVCs) in forensic DNA phenotyping through the analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The focus of EVC determination has focused on hair color, eye color, and skin tone as well as visible biogeographical ancestry features. In this study, we researched off-label applications beyond what is currently marketed by the manufacturer of the Verogen ForenSeq kit primer set B and Imagen primer set E SNP loci. We investigated additional EVC predictions by examining published genome wide sequencing studies and reported allele-specific gene expression and predictive values. We have identified 15 SNPs included in the ForenSeq kit panel and Imagen kits that have additional EVC prediction capabilities beyond what is published in the Verogen manuals. The additional EVCs that can be predicted include hair graying, ephelides hyperpigmented spots, dermatoheliosis, facial pigmented spots, standing height, pattern balding, helix-rolling ear morphology, hair shape, hair thickness, facial morphology, eyebrow thickness, sarcoidosis, obesity, vitiligo, and tanning propensity. The loci can be used to augment and refine phenotype predictions with software such as MetaHuman for missing persons, cold case, and historic case investigations.

Effects of the genetic variants of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes on lipid levels in Asian populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis

CONTEXT

Emerging evidence indicates that variants of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes may influence lipid metabolism.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate whether the rs671 and rs1229984 variants affect lipid levels in East Asian individuals.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Foreign Medical Journal Service, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Web of Knowledge, Wanfang, and Chinese Biomedical Literature databases were searched until December 31, 2021.

DATA EXTRACTION

Meta-analyses of studies that examined the effects of alcohol-metabolizing enzyme variants on lipid levels, as well as the interaction with alcohol intake, were selected. Data extraction was conducted independently by two investigators and confirmed by the third.

DATA ANALYSIS

In total, 86 studies (179 640 individuals) were analyzed. The A allele of rs671 (a functional variant in the ALDH2 gene) was linked to higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and lower levels of triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In contrast, the A allele of the rs1229984 (a functional variant in the ADH2 gene) was associated only with lower levels of LDL-C. The effects of rs671 and rs1229984 on lipid levels were much stronger in Japanese than in Chinese individuals and in males than in females. Regression analysis indicated that the effects of rs671 on lipid levels were independent of alcohol intake in an integrated East Asian population (ie, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean individuals). Intriguingly, alcohol intake had a statistical influence on lipid levels when the sample analyzed was restricted to Japanese individuals or to males.

CONCLUSIONS

The rs671 and rs1229984 variants of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes have significant effects on lipid levels and may serve as genetic markers for lipid dyslipidemia in East Asian populations. Circulating lipid levels in Japanese individuals and in males were modulated by the interaction between rs671 and alcohol intake.

Association of ALDH2 Genotypes and Alcohol Intake with Dietary Patterns: The Bunkyo Health Study

Dietary habits are associated with various diseases and assessed by dietary patterns (DPs). Since the ALDH2 genotype is correlated with alcohol and several food preferences, this genotype is probably associated with DPs. In this cross-sectional study of 1612 elderly adults, we investigated the effects of the ALDH2 genotype on DPs and the mediating role of alcohol intake. We identified the ALDH2 genotype and conducted a dietary history survey, then used principal component analysis to determine DPs for each gender. We performed multiple regression analysis to determine the independent contribution of the ALDH2 genotype and alcohol intake to DP scores. We identified three DPs: the "Japanese side dish type" (DP1), the "Japanese dish with alcohol type" (DP2), and the "Western dish with alcohol type" (DP3). In men, the single nucleotide polymorphism ALDH2 rs671 was significantly associated with all DP scores. When alcohol intake was added as a covariate, ALDH2 rs671 was still significantly correlated with the DP2 score but not with the DP1 or DP3 score, and alcohol intake was significantly correlated with all DP scores. In women, ALDH2 rs671 was significantly associated with the DP2 and DP3 scores; however, after adding alcohol intake as a covariate, these associations disappeared, and alcohol intake significantly correlated with all DP scores. In conclusion, the ALDH2 genotype was associated with several DPs in elderly adults, but most associations were mediated by alcohol intake.