Studies on the usefulness of acetaldehyde-modified proteins and associated antibodies as markers of alcohol abuse.

Abstract

Acetaldehyde, an intermediate in ethanol metabolism, has been shown to react with proteins to produce both stable and unstable adducts. These modified proteins are immunogenic, leading to the production of anti-adduct antibodies. In this report we describe studies carried out to determine whether anti-adduct antibodies could be used as a marker of alcohol abuse. We have used ELISAs to measure plasma immunoreactivity with unmodified and acetaldehyde-modified bovine serum albumin in groups of female and male social drinkers, heavy drinkers and alcoholics. When total immunoreactivity with the unmodified and acetaldehyde-modified proteins was measured it was found that each of the groups exhibited elevated reactivity with the modified protein as compared to the unmodified. Similar results were obtained when IgM immunoreactivity was measured. However, when IgA immunoreactivity was measured the reactivity with the modified protein was more greatly elevated in the heavy drinking and alcoholic groups than in the social drinking groups. There was no evidence of IgG reactivity with modified protein in any of the groups. These data suggest that elevated IgA reactivity with acetaldehyde-modified proteins may be a marker for high alcohol intake.