How alcohol damages DNA

Thursday January 4th, 2018

Researchers have discovered some of the exact ways that alcohol causes genetic damage that may trigger the development of cancer.

The experiments were done by exposing mice to ethanol, then carrying out chromosome analysis and DNA sequencing of blood cells to view the consequences of the harmful chemical produced when the body processes alcohol, called acetaldehyde.

This showed that acetaldehyde has the potential to damage DNA and rearrange chromosomes to permanently alter DNA sequences.

Professor Ketan Patel of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK, reported that these findings will help understanding of how drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing seven types of cancer – mouth, upper throat, laryngeal, oesophageal, breast, liver and bowel.

He says: "Some cancers develop due to DNA damage in stem cells. While some damage occurs by chance, our findings suggest that drinking alcohol can increase the risk of this damage.

"Our study highlights that not being able to process alcohol effectively can lead to an even higher risk of alcohol-related DNA damage and therefore certain cancers. But it's important to remember that alcohol clearance and DNA repair systems are not perfect and alcohol can still cause cancer in different ways, even in people whose defence mechanisms are intact."

The research appeared in Nature. It was partly funded by Cancer Research UK.

Professor Linda Bauld of the charity says: "This thought-provoking research highlights the damage alcohol can do to our cells, costing some people more than just a hangover.

"We know that alcohol contributes to over 12,000 cancer cases in the UK each year, so it's a good idea to think about cutting down on the amount you drink."

Garaycoechea, J, I. et al. Alcohol-derived and endogenous aldehydes damage chromosomes and mutate stem cells. Nature 3 January 2018; doi: 10.1038/nature25154

Tags: Cancer | Drug & Alcohol Abuse | Genetics | UK News

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