APOPTOSIS AND GENE-EXPRESSION - PERSPECTIVES ON ALCOHOL-INDUCED BRAIN-DAMAGE

Apoptosis, genetically preprogrammed death of scattered cells, leaves few histological traces and is compatible with autopsy findings in bra ins of alcoholics. This type of cell death could be triggered by chron ic exposure to alcohol. Interactions between alcohol and the activatin g and inhibiting molecular events of the apoptotic cascade could occur at several different levels. Sites of alcohol action could range from the transcription of the apoptosis genes to translation and posttrans lational modifications of their protein products. The recent developme nts of in situ hybridization technology make it possible to determine the levels of the neurotoxic actions of ethanol and to detect early st ages of toxicity where increased mRNA activity may compensate for loss es of receptors, enzymes, peptide transmitters, or structural proteins . The potential for treatment with antisense nucleotides is discussed.