Researchers used gene transfer to block the expression of one of the two main enzymes that break down alcohol in the liver, leading to the accumulation in liver cells of acetaldehyde, a metabolic byproduct of ethanol. The inability to metabolize acetaldehyde produces strong effects in people, such as dizziness and palpitations, leading people to avoid alcohol and representing a novel approach to treating alcoholism, as described in an article published in Human Gene Therapy.
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