phenylthiourea and Alcoholism

Genetically mediated sensitivity to the bitter taste of phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and 6-n-propylthiouracil (Prop) has long been associated with enhanced sensitivity to other sweet and bitter compounds. New studies suggest that tasters and supertasters of Prop may also differ from notasters in their taste preferences and in their patterns of food rejection and food acceptance. One question is whether the acceptability of bitter-tasting vegetables is influenced by Prop taster status. Cruciferous vegetables are among the major dietary sources of potentially chemoprotective agents in cancer control, and their consumption is reported to alter cancer risk. Strategies aimed at dietary change in individuals or groups should consider the role of genetic taste markers and their potential influences on food preferences and dietary habits.

Topics: Alcoholism; Food Preferences; Genetic Markers; Humans; Neoplasms; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Phenylthiourea; Propylthiouracil; Risk Factors; Taste; Vegetables

Genetic markers are genetically determined characteristics that have been found to occur in association with some common disorders. In alcoholism, four types of genetic markers have been studied to determine their frequency compared with the general population frequency. The markers studied are blood groups and serum proteins, secretion of ABH blood group substance, phenylthiourea taste sensitivity, and color vision defects. There have been found to be significant associations between alcoholism and all the above markers apart from blood groups and serum proteins. However, the associations appear to result from acquired rather than inherited factors.

Topics: ABO Blood-Group System; Alcoholism; Blood Group Antigens; Blood Proteins; Color Perception; Color Perception Tests; Gene Frequency; Genetic Markers; Humans; Phenylthiourea; Polymorphism, Genetic; Saliva; Taste Threshold

A novel family of G protein-coupled receptors, TAS2Rs, has recently been characterized and linked to sensitivity to bitter taste compounds. We have previously reported that a missense mutation in the TAS2R16 gene reduces the sensitivity of the receptor to bitter-taste stimuli and that it is associated with risk for alcohol dependence. Other family-based studies on the genetic transmittance of taste perception have previously demonstrated a correlation between genetic variation in TAS2R38 and sensitivity to bitter-taste compounds such as phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). Haplotypes resulting from 3 common nonsynonymous coding single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the TAS2R38 gene have been shown to alter receptor functions and taste sensitivity to PTC and PROP. The perceived bitterness of PROP has also been associated with oral sensation and drinking behaviors.. We used family-based association methods to test for association between TAS2R38 haplotypes and alcohol dependence as well as a measure of alcohol consumption (Maxdrinks) and age of onset of drinking behaviors in a sample of families densely affected with alcoholism. We have also extended our analysis of TAS2R16 to include the Maxdrinks phenotype.. A positive correlation was observed between TAS2R38 haplotypes and Maxdrinks in Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) high-risk women of African-American origin. The common taster haplotype is significantly associated with a lower mean Maxdrinks compared with the other haplotypes. Similarly, the allele of TAS2R16 that is associated with a lower risk for alcohol dependence is also associated with lower mean Maxdrinks scores in African-American families. In contrast to the previously reported significant association between TAS2R16 and alcohol dependence, we found no evidence that TAS2R38 haplotypes influence alcohol dependence in the COGA dataset.. Functional variants in both TAS2R16 and TAS2R38 correlate with alcohol consumption in African-American families.

Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Alcoholism; Black or African American; Female; Genetic Variation; Haplotypes; Humans; Male; Mutation, Missense; Phenotype; Phenylthiourea; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Receptors, Cell Surface; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Risk Factors; Taste; Uracil

Past research associating phenylthiocarbamide/propylthiouracil (PTC/PROP) taste status with alcoholism has produced equivocal results. Some have found higher proportions of nontasters among those with a family history of alcoholism than controls, whereas others have not. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between PTC taste status, alcohol problems, and family history of alcoholism. A total of 244 undergraduate students participated in this study, with a gender distribution of 75% female and 25% male. We found support for our hypothesis that male supertasters would report fewer problems with alcohol and a less significant family history of alcoholism. Interestingly, we also found that female supertasters had a greater family history of alcoholism and more current problems associated with alcohol use. Implications for the genetic link between PTC taste status and alcoholism are discussed.

Topics: Adult; Alcoholism; Female; Humans; Male; Phenylthiourea; Sex Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Taste

A conclusion has been made on the basis of a number of genetic biochemical markers and dermatoglyphic peculiarities of the hands of patients with chronic alcoholism and patients with mental retardation (MR) of exogenic-organic nature that hereditary predisposition exists not only in relation to endogenic functional and organic psychoses but also in cases of exogenous mental abnormalities. It has been suggested that the hereditary predisposing factor is determined by genotype characteristics, and flexible constellations of additive isoalleles varying in individual diseases and their different clinical forms. It is suggested that the division of psychoses into endo- and exogenous ones is not absolute from the genetic viewpoint.

Topics: ABO Blood-Group System; Acetyltransferases; Alcoholism; Genetic Markers; Haptoglobins; HLA Antigens; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Isoenzymes; Lipids; Monoamine Oxidase; Phenylthiourea

Four groups of alcoholics were identified, according to the structure of psychopathological disturbances outside the acute period of abstinence and progression of the disease. There were inter-group differences in the level of familial history of alcoholism, alcoholic psychoses and psychic diseases, as well as in the mean values of some parameters of dermatoglyphics of palms, colour perception and taste perception of phenylthiocarbamide. The used clinical criteria of patients' distribution reflect the constitutional-genetic differences between them, which should be taken into consideration in developing differential pharmacotherapy.

Topics: Adult; Alcoholism; Body Constitution; Color Perception; Dermatoglyphics; Humans; Male; Phenylthiourea; Psychopathology; Taste

Topics: Adult; Age Factors; Alcoholism; Female; Humans; Male; Phenylthiourea; Smoking; Taste

Topics: ABO Blood-Group System; Alcoholism; Blood Group Antigens; Color Vision Defects; Female; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Male; Phenylthiourea; Polymorphism, Genetic; Saliva; Taste

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Alcoholism; Ethionamide; Female; Finland; Humans; Injections, Intravenous; Isoniazid; Liver Diseases; Male; Methods; Middle Aged; Phenotype; Phenylthiourea; Sex Factors; Spectrophotometry; Time Factors; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Topics: Alcoholism; Bipolar Disorder; Black or African American; Chromosome Mapping; Epilepsy; Female; Genes; Genetics, Medical; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Male; Mental Disorders; Phenylthiourea; Schizophrenia; Sex Factors; Taste; White People

Topics: Alcoholism; Alopecia; Aminosalicylic Acid; Aminosalicylic Acids; Antitubercular Agents; Asian People; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; China; Dermatitis, Exfoliative; Drug Therapy; Ethionamide; Hepatitis A; Hong Kong; Isoniazid; Jaundice; Phenylthiourea; Psychoses, Substance-Induced; Psychotic Disorders; Pyrazinamide; Streptomycin; Toxicology