PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Alcohol leaves its mark on youngsters' DNA

A preliminary study led by a UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country researcher in collaboration with the Autonomous University of Nayarit, in Mexico, indicates that weekend alcohol consumption may affect DNA

2013-12-30
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Aitziber Lasa
a.lasa@elhuyar.com
34-943-363-040
Elhuyar Fundazioa
Alcohol leaves its mark on youngsters' DNA A preliminary study led by a UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country researcher in collaboration with the Autonomous University of Nayarit, in Mexico, indicates that weekend alcohol consumption may affect DNA

This news release is available in Spanish.

A study begun in Mexico with the collaboration of university students analysed the effect of weekend alcohol consumption on the lipids comprising cell membrane and its genetic material, i.e. DNA. Until now, the damage to the packaging of nuclear material in the early stages of alcohol abuse has never been documented, perhaps because most of the studies are done at later stages with people who have been consuming alcohol in an addictive way for many years. The results have been published in the journal Alcohol.

The harmful consumption of alcoholic beverages is a global problem and constitutes a significant health, social and economic problem. According to World Health Organisation data, alcohol is responsible for 2.5 million deaths a year worldwide and youngsters between the ages of 19 and 25 account for 320,000 of them; it causes harm that goes beyond the drinker's physical and mental health. The effects of alcohol abuse have been mostly studied in people who have been consuming alcohol for a long time and who therefore display symptoms ranging from liver damage to various types of cancer, depression and disorders of the nervous system. That is why this study is pioneering because it deals with the effect of alcohol on young, healthy people.

The idea of studying the oxidative effect of weekend alcohol consumption came about when the researcher Adela Rendón was lecturing in Clinical Biochemistry at the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico. Many of the students turning up for class first thing on Monday morning displayed a lack of attention and general malaise due to having drunk alcohol over the weekend. The researcher suggested to them that they should study the effects on their bodies of the weekend consumption that the students regarded as harmless. The students got involved in the project in which Jesús Velázquez (Autonomous University of Nayarit, Mexico) also participated, and after completing the necessary administrative requirements and enlisting the help of various experts in surveys and analysis, the aim of the study was specified: oxidative damage caused by the consumption of alcohol beverages in young people.

The students were divided into two groups: the control group made up of the students who did not drink alcohol and the study group of those who drank at weekends. To make sure that they were healthy individuals without any other diseases or addiction that could alter the results of the study, they underwent blood tests. The age of the students ranged between 18 and 23 and the average consumption of alcohol was 118 g, a litre and a half of beer, for example.

The activity of the alcohol enzyme dehydrogenase, responsible for metabolising ethanol into acetaldehyde, acetoacetate and acetone was measured. Oxidative damage is evaluated by a TBARS biochemical test (types that react to barbituric acid), and reflects the lipid peroxidation that affects the membrane due to the impact not only of the ethanol in the blood but also of the acetaldehyde produced by the action of the enzyme on the ethanol. Therefore, there are at least two means by which free radicals are formed and which can damage cell membrane integrity.

Although the researchers expected to find oxidative damage, they were surprised by the result, as Adela Rendón explained. "We saw that the ones who drank sustained twice as much oxidative damage compared with the group that did not consume alcohol," and they decided to continue with a test to assess whether the DNA was also affected: the comet test. They extracted the nucleus of the lymphocytic cells in the blood and subjected it to electrophoresis. "The interesting thing is that if the chromatin is not properly compacted, if the DNA has been damaged, it leaves a halo in the electrophoresis," which is called, "the comet tail". And in actual fact the chromatin of the exposed group left a small halo, greater than that of the control group. To be precise, the results revealed damage in 8% of the cells in the control group and 44% in the exposed group. Therefore, the exposed group had 5.3 times more damaged cells.

To be able to confirm the existence of considerable damage to the DNA, the comet tail must exceed 20 nm, and that was not the case. "Fortunately," the researcher pointed out, "but the fact is, there should not have been any damage at all because they had not been consuming alcohol for very long, they had not been exposed in a chronic way." The means by which alcohol manages to alter DNA is not yet known. The next step would be as follows: to study the re-packaging of the chromatin and the behaviour of complex mechanisms like the histones in these individuals.

"When we talk about youth alcohol abuse, we are referring to youngsters who drink alcohol without having become addicted. Addiction involves a more complex issue socially and psychologically speaking. This is social alcohol abuse," said the researcher, "but which causes damage in the long term and you have to be aware of that."



INFORMATION:



About the author

ADELA LEONOR RENDÓN-RAMIREZ (Xalapa, Mexico, 1967). Doctor in Biochemistry and post-doctoral researcher at the CSIC-UPV/EHU Biophysics Unit at the Faculty of Science and Technology with the supervisors Dr Félix Goñi and Dr Diego Guerin in the Biomembranes group. The study began at the Autonomous University of Nayarit, in Mexico, and has been published in the journal Alcohol under the title "Oxidative damage in young alcohol drinkers: a preliminary study".



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Researchers say fructose does not impact emerging indicator for cardiovascular disease

2013-12-30
Researchers say fructose does not impact emerging indicator for cardiovascular disease However, overconsumption of calories from fructose can have substantial adverse effects on health TORONTO, Dec. 30, 2013—Fructose, the sugar often blamed for the obesity ...

Testosterone in male songbirds may enhance desire to sing but not song quality

2013-12-30
Testosterone in male songbirds may enhance desire to sing but not song quality For the male canary, the ability to sing a pitch-perfect song is critical to wooing female canaries. As the seasons change, so does song quality and frequency. The hormone testosterone ...

Study identifies potential new strategy to improve odds of corneal transplant acceptance

2013-12-30
Study identifies potential new strategy to improve odds of corneal transplant acceptance DALLAS – Dec. 30, 2013 – For the estimated 10 percent of patients whose bodies reject a corneal transplant, the odds of a second transplant succeeding ...

Plan to delist gray wolf endangers other threatened species, researchers find

2013-12-30
Plan to delist gray wolf endangers other threatened species, researchers find Scientists say proposal to end wolf protection across US disregards science, history, threats COLUMBUS, Ohio – The federal government's proposal to discontinue protection for the gray ...

Tell me your barcode, and I will tell you what palm you are

2013-12-30
Tell me your barcode, and I will tell you what palm you are Reliable and cost-effective species recognition is the dream of many scientists, and has important applications. While the use of morphological features is often uncertain, and can lead to misidentification, species ...

The value of museum collections for development of DNA barcode libraries

2013-12-30
The value of museum collections for development of DNA barcode libraries The ability to sequence the DNA of plants and animals has revolutionized many areas of biology, but the unstable character of DNA poses difficulties for sequencing specimens in museum collection ...

Museum bird DNA 'ready for use' in Naturalis Biodiversity Center

2013-12-30
Museum bird DNA 'ready for use' in Naturalis Biodiversity Center DNA barcoding is used as an effective tool for both the identification of known species and the discovery of new ones. The core idea of DNA barcoding is based on the fact that just a small ...

DNA barcoding to monitor marine mammal genetic diversity

2013-12-30
DNA barcoding to monitor marine mammal genetic diversity Marine mammals are flagship and charismatic species, very attractive for the general public. Nowadays, they are also considered as highly relevant sentinel of the marine realm. Their presence and their welfare in an area ...

Toward a molecular explanation for schizophrenia

2013-12-30
Toward a molecular explanation for schizophrenia Tel Aviv University researchers find inhibition of a basic cellular process may contribute to the mysterious disease Surprisingly little is known about schizophrenia. It was only recognized as a medical ...

Imaging technology could unlock mysteries of a childhood disease

2013-12-30
Imaging technology could unlock mysteries of a childhood disease By the time they're two, most children have had respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and suffered symptoms no worse than a bad cold. But for some children, especially premature babies and those with ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

KAIST Develops Retinal Therapy to Restore Lost Vision​

Adipocyte-hepatocyte signaling mechanism uncovered in endoplasmic reticulum stress response

Mammals were adapting from life in the trees to living on the ground before dinosaur-killing asteroid

Low LDL cholesterol levels linked to reduced risk of dementia

Thickening of the eye’s retina associated with greater risk and severity of postoperative delirium in older patients

Almost one in ten people surveyed report having been harmed by the NHS in the last three years

Enhancing light control with complex frequency excitations

New research finds novel drug target for acute myeloid leukemia, bringing hope for cancer patients

New insight into factors associated with a common disease among dogs and humans

Illuminating single atoms for sustainable propylene production

New study finds Rocky Mountain snow contamination

Study examines lactation in critically ill patients

UVA Engineering Dean Jennifer West earns AIMBE’s 2025 Pierre Galletti Award

Doubling down on metasurfaces

New Cedars-Sinai study shows how specialized diet can improve gut disorders

Making moves and hitting the breaks: Owl journeys surprise researchers in western Montana

PKU Scientists simulate the origin and evolution of the North Atlantic Oscillation

ICRAFT breakthrough: Unlocking A20’s dual role in cancer immunotherapy

How VR technology is changing the game for Alzheimer’s disease

A borrowed bacterial gene allowed some marine diatoms to live on a seaweed diet

Balance between two competing nerve proteins deters symptoms of autism in mice

Use of antifungals in agriculture may increase resistance in an infectious yeast

Awareness grows of cancer risk from alcohol consumption, survey finds

The experts that can outsmart optical illusions

Pregnancy may reduce long COVID risk

Scientists uncover novel immune mechanism in wheat tandem kinase

Three University of Virginia Engineering faculty elected as AAAS Fellows

Unintentional drug overdoses take a toll across the U.S. unequally, study finds

A step toward plant-based gelatin

ECMWF unveils groundbreaking ML tool for enhanced fire prediction

[Press-News.org] Alcohol leaves its mark on youngsters' DNA
A preliminary study led by a UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country researcher in collaboration with the Autonomous University of Nayarit, in Mexico, indicates that weekend alcohol consumption may affect DNA