Alcohol and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Isoenzymes in North American Indians

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Abstract
Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) isoenzyme phenotypes were determined in autopsy liver samples from 50 North American Indians from New Mexico [USA]. Forty-six of the 50 livers had sufficient ADH activity to allow phenotyping at the ADH2 and ADH3 loci. All 46 livers possessed the "typical" ADH2 1-1 phenotype. The frequency of the .**GRAPHIC**. allele was 0.59 and is the highest thus far reported in any racial population. All 50 livers possessed the ALDH I isoenzyme which exhibit the greatest anodic mobility on starch gel electrophoresis at pH 7.6. ADH and ALDH phenotypes among American Indians living in New Mexico are very similar to those of Caucasian populations and quite different from those of Orientals.