A commentary on the paper: 'Evaluation of spice and herb as phytoderived selective modulators of human retinaldehyde dehydrogenases using a simple in vitro method'.

Anna Bilska-Wilkosz

doi:10.1042/bsr20211522

Abstract

It is commonly known that aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) are a promising therapeutic target in many diseases. Bui et al.—the authors of the paper I am discussing here (Biosci Rep (2021) 41(5): BSR20210491 https://doi.org/10.1042/BSR20210491)—point that there is a lack of research on the use of spices and herbs as the sources of naturally occurring modulators of ALDH activity. In order to carry out this type of research, the authors prepared ethanolic extracts of 22 spices and herbs. The main objective of the study was to investigate retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (RALDHs), of which retinal is the main substrate and ALDH2, the mitochondrial isoform, having acetaldehyde as the main substrate.The obtained results indicated that the tested extracts exhibited differential regulatory effects on RALDHs/ALDH2 and some of them showed a potential selective inhibition of the activity of RALDHs.

Highlights

Bui et al in their interesting paper [1] focus their attention mainly on retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (RALDHs), which are enzymes converting retinal into retinoic acid (RA)
All-trans retinal is formed in a reversible oxidation reaction of retinol catalyzed by retinol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.300; RDH). 11-cis-Retinal is produced from the form all-trans via complex enzymatic mechanisms. 11-cis Retinal is a component of rhodopsin, a protein found in the retina of the eye and involved in the process of vision
The authors of the paper I am discussing here point out that research related to the search for compounds affecting the activity of RALDHs/ALDHs has been conducted for a long time, there is a lack of research on the use of spices and herbs as the sources of naturally occurring modulators of RALDHs/ALDHs activities

Summary

Introduction

Bui et al in their interesting paper [1] focus their attention mainly on retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (RALDHs), which are enzymes converting retinal into retinoic acid (RA). The obtained results indicated that the tested extracts exhibited differential regulatory effects on RALDHs/ALDH2 and some of them showed a potential selective inhibition of the activity of RALDHs. Received: 11 August 2021 Revised: 15 November 2021 Accepted: 23 December 2021 The mammalian aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH; aldehyde:NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.2.1.3) are a family of enzymes that catalyze the oxidation reactions of aldehydes which are generated via the metabolism of alcohols.

Objectives

Results

Conclusion