Functional polymorphism of CYP2E1 gene and alcohol use disorders in a Tibetan population.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the CYP2E1*c1/*c2 polymorphism and alcohol use disorders, and the potential influence of the CYP2E1*c1/*c2 polymorphism on the severity and dimensions of alcohol use disorders in Tibetan.

Methods: Three hundred and forty Tibetans with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score >or=10 and another 315 matched control subjects with AUDIT score
Results: The frequency of the CYP2E1*c2 allele in subjects with alcohol use disorders (16.2%) was significantly higher than that of the controls (10.8%), with a P value of 0.005 and OR value of 1.60 (95% CI: 1.15 approximately 2.21). There was also a significant difference in genotype frequencies between the 2 groups (chi2=8.75, P=0.01). Subjects with alcohol use disorders had higher frequencies of genotypes with at least one copy of allele c2 (28.5% vs. 18.7%; chi2=8.65, P=0.003; OR=1.73) than the control group. The association of CYP2E1*c2 allele with alcohol use disorders was much stronger in males than in females, with a male OR value of 2.30. CYP2E1*c2 allele was associated with increased alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorders in males.

Conclusion: There is the positive association among CYP2E1*c2 allele, alcohol use disorders, and the amount of alcohol consumption in Tibetan population.