Is beta-catechin one of the causes of alcoholism?
Scientists at Wake Forest University (North Carolina), working under the guidance of Dr. Qiang Gu, analyzed brain tissue samples of chronic alcoholics and identified changes caused by alcohol abuse at the molecular level.
The authors found that the beta-catechin protein involved in various cellular signaling mechanisms, including regulating cell development, is contained in significantly higher concentrations in the brains of chronic alcoholics compared to the brains of people of the appropriate age without a history of alcoholism. They believe that beta-catechin is a possible cause of alcohol dependence and tolerance to alcohol, which indicates the possibility of developing drugs that block the activity of this protein and contribute to the cure of addiction.
Using microchips with antibodies to various proteins, the authors analyzed the levels of more than 500 proteins in brain tissue samples. During the preliminary study, they noted an increased content of beta-catechin in the brain of alcoholics and paid special attention to this protein. Among the 500 molecules studied in the framework of the latest work, 17 belonged to proteins of the beta-catechin-mediated signaling mechanism.
The researchers emphasize that before using the information obtained to develop new methods of treating alcoholism, it is necessary to obtain additional experimental data. In the near future, they plan to conduct experiments on animals in order to determine the stage of development of alcohol dependence, at which beta-catechin levels increase.
If this change occurs in the early stages of addiction, it may explain the mechanism of brain addiction and theoretically become a target for the treatment of alcoholism. If it occurs later, it may be caused by the toxic effect of alcohol.
Scientists analyzed postmortem tissue samples of the upper lobe of the frontal cortex of 14 male alcoholics and 14 individuals of the same age without a history of alcoholism. The studied region of the brain is associated with the development of alcoholism and is involved in the formation of a sense of pleasure. The authors suggest that beta-catechin may play a role in the formation of addiction due to the mechanism of development of the need for alcohol for pleasure. If this is confirmed, beta-catechin-blocking drugs will help in the fight against alcoholism in the future.
In addition, scientists have also found an increased content of Myc protein in the brain of alcoholics, high concentrations of which cause malignant cell degeneration. This finding partially explains the relationship between alcohol abuse and an increased risk of cancer. It is known that the synthesis of Myc in cells is regulated by beta-catechin, so scientists have suggested that alcohol activates the synthesis of beta-catechin, which in turn stimulates the production of Myc, which leads to malignant transformation of cells.
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of ScienceDaily
04.05.2008