在5月29日的《細胞》(Cell)雜志上,，科學家們報道,，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)了控制果蠅對乙醇敏感性的基因,。該研究表明目前的幾種抗癌藥物可能可以用于治療酒精中毒，這聽起來好像只不過是酒后“狂言”罷了,。
有些果蠅就像人一樣也不勝酒力,。喝一小口酒后，它們就會暈頭轉向,。因此科學家們決定找出這些果蠅對酒精敏感的基因,。科學家們找到了這個基因,，并把它稱之為“歡樂時光”,。具有這種基因正常形式的果蠅根本就不是飲酒高手，但是具有“歡樂時光”突變體的果蠅能把它們的酒友喝趴下。
在正常的果蠅中,，“歡樂時光”基因阻止了一種名為EGF的荷爾蒙?？茖W家們發(fā)現(xiàn)兩種抗癌藥(這兩種抗癌藥物也能抑制EGF)使“豪飲”的果蠅更加“頭暈”---人和果蠅對這種感覺都感到不舒服,。研究人員給老鼠服用了這些抗癌藥物后，它們“抿”一小口酒之后就覺得不能再喝了,。
對付酒精中毒的方法之一就是消除豪飲帶來的強烈興奮的感覺,。至少從遺傳的角度講，這就意味著,，有一點兒“歡樂時光”也蠻不錯的,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Cell, 21 May 2009 doi:10.1016/j.cell.2009.03.020
Happyhour, a Ste20 Family Kinase, Implicates EGFR Signaling in Ethanol-Induced Behaviors
Ammon B. Corl1,Karen H. Berger3,Galit Ophir-Shohat2,Julie Gesch3,Jeffrey A. Simms3,Selena E. Bartlett3andUlrike Heberlein1,2,3,,
1 Program in Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-2822, USA
2 Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-2822, USA
3 Ernest Gallo Research Center, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
The consequences of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are devastating to individuals and society, yet few treatments are currently available. To identify genes regulating the behavioral effects of ethanol, we conducted a genetic screen in Drosophila and identified a mutant, happyhour (hppy), due to its increased resistance to the sedative effects of ethanol. Hppy protein shows strong homology to mammalian Ste20 family kinases of the GCK-1 subfamily. Genetic and biochemical experiments revealed that the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-signaling pathway regulates ethanol sensitivity in Drosophila and that Hppy functions as an inhibitor of the pathway. Acute pharmacological inhibition of the EGF receptor (EGFR) in adult animals altered acute ethanol sensitivity in both flies and mice and reduced ethanol consumption in a preclinical rat model of alcoholism. Inhibitors of the EGFR or components of its signaling pathway are thus potential pharmacotherapies for AUDs.
