Alcohol and colon cancer

A causal relationship between chronic alcohol abuse and colorectal cancer (CRC) has been established by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This project tests our hypothesis that ALDH1B1, an alcohol-metabolizing enzyme highly expressed in CRC cells, is a key player in the ethanol-induced CRC. Currently studies involve the use of Aldh1b1 knockout (KO) mice, and analysis of ALDH1B1 in CRC tissue samples obtained from alcoholic and non-alcoholic human patients. We are currently cross-breeding Aldh1b1 (KO mice and colon specific APCmin/+ mice to further delineate the role of ALDH1B1 in colon carcinogenesis.