Cytosolic Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Research Articles

The influence of vitamin E and selenium on lipid peroxidation and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in rat liver and tissue

Malondialdehyde (MDA) production and cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) response were examined in rat liver tissues after feeding different levels of dietary vitamin E and/or selenium and polyunsaturated fat for 12-38 wk. MDA production was significantly increased by vitamin E deficiency or by high levels of polyunsaturated fat intake, but not by selenium deficiency. The activity of cytosolic ALDH increased upon increased production of MDA after 12-16 wk of feeding the lipid peroxidation-inducing diets. However, ALDH activity was suppressed after 38 wk of feeding the vitamin E-deficient diet. The results indicate that the hepatic cytosolic ALDH may be involved in the metabolism of MDA during a relatively short-term increase in in vivo lipid peroxidation, but that ALDH activity becomes suppressed after more severe in vivo lipid peroxidation has been produced. Hepatic and plasma alpha-tocopherol levels and lipid peroxidation products were measured for the various dietary groups.

The Effect of p-(Chloromercuri)benzoate Modification of Cytosolic Aldehyde Dehydrogenase from Sheep Liver. Evidence for a Second Aldehyde Binding Site

p-Chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) at stoichiometric levels reacts with a thiol group of the binary NAD+ complex of sheep liver cytoplasmic aldehyde dehydrogenase (E · NAD+) faster than with the corresponding thiol group of either the free enzyme or the binary enzyme · NADH complexes. High concentrations of propionaldehyde have a protective effect against modification of the enzyme with PCMB in steady-state assays. This protection arises from a reduction in the concentration of the E · NAD+ binary complex rather than competition for a common binding site. PCMB has three major effects on aldehyde dehydrogenase. First, rapid reaction with a high-affinity thiol group in the E · NAD+ binary complex causes activation of the steady-state rate. The activation results from an increase in the rate of NADH release from the enzyme. This modification simultaneously protects against dilution-induced dissociation of enzyme tetramers. Second, premodification of the high-affinity thiol group leads to inhibition of the steady-state rate at high propionaldehyde concentrations, because of the increased affinity of the free enzyme for propionaldehyde with the resultant formation of an enzyme-aldehyde dead-end complex. Third, when higher ratios of PCMB to enzyme (>3:1) are used, one or more other thiol groups are also modified, causing enzyme dissociation and subsequent inactivation. Since modification of the high-affinity thiol by PCMB causes activation, clearly it cannot be the active site acylation center involved in propionaldehyde oxidation. The different amplitudes of the proton burst at high and low propionaldehyde concentrations for the PCMB modified enzyme provide support for a second binding site for propionaldehyde on the enzyme.

Regulation of [Ah] gene battery enzymes and glutathione levels by 5,10-dihydroindeno[1,2-b]indole in mouse hepatoma cell lines.

The murine aromatic hydrocarbon ([Ah]) gene battery consists of at least six genes that code for two functionalizing (Phase I) enzymes and four non-functionalizing (Phase II) enzymes. These enzymes are induced by compounds such as aromatic hydrocarbons and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) that bind to the cytosolic Ah receptor protein. Studies in rodents indicate that certain enzymes of this battery, namely cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1), UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT1*06) and NAD(P)H: quinone acceptor oxidoreductase (NMO1) are induced by the synthetic antioxidant 5,10-dihydroindeno[1,2-b]indole (DHII). The induction of [Ah] gene battery enzymes and the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) were examined in mouse Hepa-1c1c7 hepatoma wild-type cells (wt), a CYP1A1 metabolism-deficient mutant (c37) and an Ah receptor nuclear translocation-defective mutant (c4). DHII and TCDD increased the activities of ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase, an indicator of CYP1A1 activity, as well as NMO1, UGT1*06, cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase class 3 and glutathione S-transferase form A1 in wt cells, but had little or no induction effect in c37 or c4 cells. DHII and TCDD differed in their effects on GSH levels; while DHII increased GSH levels 3-fold in wt, but not at all in c37 or c4 cells, TCDD had no effect on GSH levels in any cell type. However, GSH levels were enhanced in both wt and c4 cells by tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ). L-Buthionine S,R-sulfoximine, an inhibitor of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, prevented DHII-induced increases in wt cell GSH. The increase in GSH levels occurred after 8 h, while the induction of enzymes occurred within 4 h. The induction of the higher GSH levels in wt cells by DHII and TBHQ correlated with increases in intracellular levels of the GSH precursor thiol cysteine, as well as with increased activities of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, the rate-limiting enzyme of GSH synthesis. However, TBHQ-mediated GSH increases in c4 cells were accompanied by increased gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase activity with no change in intracellular cysteine concentration. The results suggest that DHII induction of [Ah] gene battery enzymes requires a functional Ah receptor, but not the functional gene product CYP1A1. Furthermore, metabolism, possibly via CYP1A1, appears to be required for DHII to enhance intracellular levels of cysteine and GCS activity that result in higher GSH levels.

Mouse dioxin-inducible cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase-3: AHD4 cDNA sequence, genetic mapping, and differences in mRNA levels.

We have cloned and sequenced the murine AHD4 cDNA encoding the 'Class 3' cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-3c). The cDNA is 1722 bp in length, excluding the poly(A+) tail, and has 5' and 3' nontranslated regions of 174 bp and 186 bp, respectively. AHD4 encodes a protein of 453 amino acids, including the first methionine (M(r) = 50,466). The murine AHD4 protein is 91% and 80% similar to the rat and human ALDH3c proteins, respectively, 64% identical to the rat microsomal ALDH3 protein, and < 28% similar to ALDH 'Class 1' and 'Class 2' proteins. Surprisingly, in contrast to the rat gene that is expressed in both cell cultures and the intact liver, the murine Ahd-4 gene is inducible by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; dioxin) or benzo[a]pyrene in cell cultures but not in liver of the intact adult or newborn mouse. Southern hybridization analysis of mouse DNA probed with the full-length cDNA reveals that the Ahd-4 gene is likely to span less than a total of 15 kb, and was mapped to chromosome (Chr) 11 between the Mgat-1 and Shbg loci by analysis of two multilocus crosses. AHD4 mRNA levels are strikingly elevated in the untreated mouse hepatoma Hepa-1c1c7 mutant line c37 lacking CYP1A1 (aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase) activity and in the untreated 14CoS/14CoS mouse cell line having a homozygous deletion of about 1.2 cM on Chr 7. Our data suggest that the Ahd-4 gene in murine cell cultures is regulated by three distinct mechanisms: Ah receptor-mediated induction by TCDD or benzo[a]pyrene, CYP1A1 metabolism-dependent repression, and Chr 7-mediated putative derepression.

Effect of 4-(diethylamino)benzaldehyde on ethanol metabolism in mice.

The compound 4-(diethylamino)benzaldehyde (DEAB) is a potent inhibitor of cytosolic (class 1) aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in vitro and can overcome cyclophosphamide resistance in murine leukemia cells characterized by their high content of ALDH. In this study, we examined the in vivo effect of DEAB in mice on ethanol metabolism and on antipyrine clearance as a measure of the microsomal mixed function oxidase activity. DEAB administered in doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg increased the blood acetaldehyde concentration and decreased the plasma acetate concentration in mice treated with ethanol. A pharmacokinetic approach demonstrated that DEAB in doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg inhibited the fraction of ethanol converted to acetate by 32.5 and 67.5%, respectively. This inhibition was comparable with that produced by disulfiram. DEAB produced optimal inhibition of ALDH 10-15 min after administration. DEAB did not change the half-life or the total clearance of antipyrine. We conclude that DEAB is a potent inhibitor of ALDH in vivo and has no effect on the mixed function oxidase activity as determined by antipyrine clearance.

In vivo effects of disulfiram and cyanamide on canine liver aldehyde dehydrogenase isoenzymes as detected by high-performance (pressure) liquid chromatography.

Methods for analysis of aldehyde dehydrogenase isoenzymes using high-performance (pressure) liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to determine in vivo effects of disulfiram and cyanamide on canine liver aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) isoenzymes. Liver ALDH isoenzymes from control and disulfiram- or cyanamide-treated dogs were separated by ion-exchange HPLC, and enzyme activity was detected using a postcolumn reactor. Two major peaks of ALDH activity (peaks I and II) were detected. Varying the composition of the reaction column reagents resulted in alterations in the elution profiles consistent with the kinetic properties of individual isoenzymes (i.e., ALDH IB in peak I and ALDH IIB in peak II), including estimates of the Km for acetaldehyde and the effects of magnesium ions on ALDH activity. Disulfiram treatment decreased both peaks depending on disulfiram dose and length of treatment, with peak I being more sensitive to inactivation than peak II. Reagents containing MgCl2 (1 mM) decreased peak I and increased peak II compared with EDTA (1 mM) for samples from both control and disulfiram-treated animals. These data are consistent with the assignment of the disulfiram-sensitive isoenzyme (ALDH IB) to peak I and the isoenzyme stimulated by magnesium ions (ALDH IIB) to peak II. In vivo cyanamide treatment produced similar decreases in both peaks to a maximum decrease of approximately 30% of control depending on cyanamide dose. Peak I, however, was more sensitive than peak II to in vitro inactivation by cyanamide, which suggests that cytosolic ALDH in the dog (in contrast to other mammals) is more sensitive to inactivation than mitochondrial ALDH.

Cloning and expression of the full-length cDNAS encoding human liver class 1 and class 2 aldehyde dehydrogenase.

The amino acid sequences of both human class 1 and 2 aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and the sequences of the genes coding for them are known. Based on this sequence data, we designed primers and isolated the full-length cDNAs encoding both isozymes from a human liver mRNA pool. cDNAs were subcloned in the plasmid pT7-7 and expressed in Escherichia coli with a yield of approximately 3 mg ALDH protein/liter of cell culture, although only one-third of the enzyme was soluble. The soluble recombinantly expressed ALDHs were purified to homogeneity using a hydroxyacetophenone-Sepharose affinity column. The mitochondrial isozyme had a subunit molecular weight of 55 kDa, an isoelectric point of 4.9, and a specific activity of 1.10 units/mg, which were in good agreement with that from the native enzyme. The expressed cytosolic isozyme had the same subunit molecular weight (55 kDa) and pI (5.4) as that reported for the native enzyme and had a specific activity of 0.26 units/mg. The expressed mitochondrial isozyme could be recognized by antibodies raised against rat mitochondrial ALDH, whereas the cytosolic isozyme could be recognized by antibody raised against horse cytosolic ALDH.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity in Drosophila melanogaster adults: Evidence for cytosolic localization

The subcellular localization of the aldehyde dehydrogenase activity from the ALDH (EC 1.2.1.3) enzyme has been studied in nutritionally manipulated Drosophila melanogaster adults from a wild ( LRC) and an ADH-null ( bAdh n4 ) strain. ALDH activities from ALDH or ADH (EC 1.1.1.1) enzymes were selectively inhibited by prefeeding respectively the flies sucrose solutions supplemented with either cyanamide or acetone respectively. ALDH, ADH (as a cytosolic marker) and succinate dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.9.1) (as a mitochondrial marker) activities were assayed in both the mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions isolated from flies subjected to each treatment. Total ALDH activity in the cytosolic fraction was found to be between five (ADH strain) and ten (ADH strain) times higher than that in the mitochondrial fraction. Prefeeding cyanamide resulted in a 64% (ADH strain) and a 90% (ADH strain) reduction of the cytosolic ALDH activity, whereas prefeeding acetone resulted in a 38% (ADH strain) reduction of this activity. Prefeeding both cyanamide and acetone resulted in a total inhibition of ALDH activity, which was also observed after an extended cyanamide treatment. In conclusion, our results support that, contrary to what occurs in larvae, in adults the ALDH activity from ALDH enzyme is mainly localized in the cytosolic fraction: about 85% in ADH + and 90% in ADH − strains. Although larvae and adults use different ALDH activities to detoxify acetaldehyde (from ADH and ALDH enzymes, respectively) both of them are cytosolic. Reasons for these different uses are discussed in relation to the subcellular localization of ALDH activity.

Daidzin: a potent, selective inhibitor of human mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase.

Human mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-I) is potently, reversibly, and selectively inhibited by an isoflavone isolated from Radix puerariae and identified as daidzin, the 7-glucoside of 4',7-dihydroxyisoflavone. Kinetic analysis with formaldehyde as substrate reveals that daidzin inhibits ALDH-I competitively with respect to formaldehyde with a Ki of 40 nM, and uncompetitively with respect to the coenzyme NAD+. The human cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase isozyme (ALDH-II) is nearly 3 orders of magnitude less sensitive to daidzin inhibition. Daidzin does not inhibit human class I, II, or III alcohol dehydrogenases, nor does it have any significant effect on biological systems that are known to be affected by other isoflavones. Among more than 40 structurally related compounds surveyed, 12 inhibit ALDH-I, but only prunetin and 5-hydroxydaidzin (genistin) combine high selectivity and potency, although they are 7- to 15-fold less potent than daidzin. Structure-function relationships have established a basis for the design and synthesis of additional ALDH inhibitors that could both be yet more potent and specific.

An androgenic affinity ligand covalently binds to cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase from human genital skin fibroblasts

A 56 kDa protein expressed in human genital skin fibroblasts was first identified by independent laboratories on the basis of its specific expression in androgen target cells and its ability to covalently bind androgenic affinity ligands. Recently, immunoscreening of a cDNA library with antisera directed against this protein resulted in the isolation of a partial cDNA clone identical to human cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH1). We report here the preparation of a full-length cDNA encoding ALDH1 from human genital fibroblasts. Translation of the encoded protein in a cell-free system yields a 56 kDa product that can be covalently radiolabeled with [ 3H]dihydrotestosterone 17β-bromoacetate (DHT-BA). Expression of the full-length clone in mammalian cells also results in expression of a 56 kDa DHT-BA binding protein. The covalent binding of DHT-BA by ALDH1 is an intrinsic property of the enzyme and is not dependent on androgen receptor expression.

Identification and Characterization of Transcripts Present at Elevated Levels in the Undifferentiated Chick Retina

Little is known concerning the genes expressed in the neuro-ectodermal cells of the retina, prior to their differentiation into neurons and glia. An analysis of the transcripts present at early stages of retinal development should lead to the identification of functionally important molecules and increase our understanding of the molecular events involved in tissue maturation. Differential screening of a day 3·5 chick retina cDNA library and Northern blot analysis resulted in the discovery of five mRNAs present at elevated levels in the undifferentiated retina. Tissue maturation was accompanied by a decrease in mRNA signal in all five cases and, with the exception of the brain, transcript levels were higher in the immature retina than in the other tissues tested. Two of the cDNAs, corresponding to brain creatine kinase and carbonic anhydrase-II RNAs, had previously been cloned, while the products encoded by the three remaining RNAs were tentatively identified as the chicken counterparts of mammalian cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase, stathmin and a member of the fatty acid binding protein family. The elevated levels of these five RNAs in the undifferentiated retina and the subsequent decrease in transcript levels observed upon tissue maturation indicate that the encoded proteins may play important roles in early retinal development.

Enhanced transcription of the cytosolic ALDH gene in cyclophosphamide resistant human carcinoma cells.

Cyclophosphamide, an important cancer chemotherapeutic agent, has been shown to be effective against some types of cancer (Hilton, 1984a; Manthey and Sladek, 1989). However, both natural and acquired resistance to cyclophosphamide limits its utility in the clinic. Several investigators have observed a dramatic increase (about 200-fold) of cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH, EC 1.2.1.3) activity in a cyclo-phosphamide-resistant murine leukemia cell line. It has been proposed that ALDH which can oxidize aldophosphamide, an intermediate metabolite produced from cyclophosphamide, prevents the generation of tissue toxic phosphamide mustard within cells (Manthey and Sladek, 1989; Russo et al., 1989). The drug resistance of the murine cell line with high ALDH activity can be explained by this mechanism.

Activation of aldehyde dehydrogenase at physiological temperatures

The release of NADH from the enzyme·NADH complexes was rate limiting at 37°, for the oxidation of propionaldehyde by sheep liver cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase. Marked substrate activation was observed at this temperature as was activation by p-(chloromercuri)benzoate. Activation of enzymic activity may be of importance in vivo.

The muscle-derived lens of a squid bioluminescent organ is biochemically convergent with the ocular lens. Evidence for recruitment of aldehyde dehydrogenase as a predominant structural protein.

Many of the structural proteins of ocular lenses, commonly referred to as crystallins, are identical to specific enzymes or the result of a recent gene duplication (Piatigorsky, J., and Wistow, G. (1991) Science 252, 1078-1079). One such enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), has been recruited as a lens crystallin in certain mammals (Wistow, G., and Kim, H. (1991) J. Mol. Evol. 32, 262-269) and cephalopods (Tomarev, S., Zinovieva, R., and Piatigorsky, J. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 24226-24231). We report here that a transparent tissue, derived from muscle but functioning as a lens in the light-emitting organ of a squid, Euprymna scolopes, shows striking biochemical convergence with the epidermally derived ocular lenses of some mammals and cephalopods. In the light organ lens of E. scolopes, an ALDH-like protein is the predominant molecular component. The typical muscle-specific proteins are replaced as the dominant species by a protein composed of 54-kDa subunits. This protein, which we designate as L-crystallin, constitutes approximately 70% of the total soluble protein of the light organ lens. The amino acid sequences of three peptides of L-crystallin (approximately 9% of the total protein) showed 54.5% sequence identity with human cytosolic ALDH. Using polyclonal antiserum made against L-crystallin, we found that it is present in low abundance in other tissues of the squid, including muscle and the ocular lens. This polyclonal antiserum also cross-reacted with the ALDH-like crystallins found in the ocular lenses of certain mammals and cephalopods. L-Crystallin showed no ALDH activity, which is similar to several other enzyme/crystallins, including ALDH/eta-crystallin (Wistow, G., and Kim, H. (1991) J. Mol. Evol. 32, 262-269). The characteristics of this muscle-derived lens are evidence that a common biochemical basis underlies transparency and that certain proteins may possess properties that promote their selection as lens structural proteins.

EFFECTS OF CHRONIC ETHANOL INTOXICATION ON ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASE IN MOUSE LIVER

Effects of chronic ethanol treatment with liquid diet (ethanol constituted 28% of the calories) on hepatic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) isozymes were studied in mice. One week of ethanol feeding caused 66% loss of mitochondrial low Km ALDH activity and 80% loss of mitochondrial high Km ALDH activity, compared with the control-fed group. However, these decreases recovered after 4 weeks of ethanol feeding. The cytosolic ALDH activity increased up to 140% after 10 weeks of ethanol feeding, compared with the control-fed group. Effects of acute ethanol injection on ALDH activity after prolonged ethanol feeding were studied. The severe acute ethanol injection (4.5 g/kg body wt) after 4 weeks of ethanol feeding caused a drastic decrease of the mitochondrial low Km ALDH activity; however, that did not affect the ethanol-fed group. After 10 weeks of ethanol feeding, acute ethanol injection (4.5 g/kg body wt) caused about twofold increase in mitochondrial low Km ALDH activity. From the agarose IEF study, it was found that ethanol intoxication does not affect the number and pI value of ALDH isozymes.

Retinal oxidation activity and biological role of human cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase.

The major cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase isozyme (ALDH1) exhibits strong activity for oxidation of retinal to retinoic acid, while the major mitochondrial ALDH2 and the stomach cytosolic ALDH3 have no such activity. The Km of ALDH1 for retinal is about 0.06 mumol/l at pH 7.5, and the catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km) for retinal is about 600 times higher than that for acetaldehyde. Thus, ALDH1 can efficiently produce retinoic acid from retinal in tissues with low retinal concentrations (< 0.01 mumol/l). The gene for ALDH1 has hormone response elements. These findings suggest that the major physiological substrate of human ALDH1 is retinal, and that its primary biological role is generation of retinoic acid resulting in modulation of cell differentiation including hormone-mediated development.

Structure and expression of the cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase gene in cyclophosphamide-resistant murine leukemia L1210 cells

These investigations were performed to clarify the molecular basis for the enhanced expression of cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-1) enzymatic activity in the cyclophosphamide-resistant L1210/CPA murine leukemia cell line, as compared to the parental L1210/O strain. Western immunoblot analysis was performed using a 15-fold greater quantity of cytosolic protein from the L1210/O as compared to the L1210/CPA cell line. Nevertheless, ALDH-1 immunoreactive protein could be detected only in the L1210/CPA cells. Northern analyses, performed using total cellular and polyadenylated RNA, again demonstrated ALDH-1-specific transcripts only in the L1210/CPA cell line. This transcript was identical in size to the ALDH-1 message expressed by normal murine hepatocytes. On Southern analysis, no evidence of gene amplification, gene rearrangement, or significant mutations of length was detected. These studies suggest that the ALDH-1 protein produced by the L1210/CPA cell line is structurally normal. Moreover, overexpression of the gene does not appear to have arisen as a result of an incremental process, such as gene amplification. Rather, a qualitative abnormality in the regulation of this gene appears to exist in the L1210/CPA cells, which distinguishes them from L1210/O cells and from normal murine lymphocytes.

Identification of mouse liver aldehyde dehydrogenases that catalyze the oxidation of retinaldehyde to retinoic acid

NAD(P)-linked aldehyde dehydrogenases catalyze the oxidation of a wide variety of aldehydes. Thirteen of these enzymes have been identified in mouse tissues; eleven are found in the liver. Some are substrate-nonspecific; others are relatively substrate-specific. The present investigation sought to determine which of these enzymes are operative in catalyzing the oxidation of retinaldehyde to retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A that promotes the differentiation of epithelial and other cells. Spectrophotometric and HPLC assays were used for this purpose. Enzyme-catalyzed oxidation of retinaldehyde (25 μM) was restricted to the cytosol (105,000g supernatant fraction) and occurred at a rate of 211 nmol/min/g liver; oxidation of acetaldehyde (4 mM) by this fraction proceeds about ten times faster. At least 90% of this activity was NAD dependent. Of the approximately 10% that was apparently NAD independent, two-thirds was inhibited by 1 mM pyridoxal, a known inhibitor of aldehyde oxidase. Of the six cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenases, only two, viz. AHD-2 and AHD-7, catalyzed the oxidation of retinaldehyde to retinoic acid. An additional NAD-dependent enzyme, viz. xanthine oxidase (dehydrogenase form), also catalyzed the reaction. Catalysis by AHD-2 accounted for more than 90% of the total NAD-dependent activity. K m values were 0.7, 0.6 and 0.9 μM, respectively, for the AHD-2-, AHD-7- and xanthine oxidase (dehydrogenase form)-catalyzed reaction. AHD-4, an aldehyde dehydrogenase found in the cytosol of mouse stomach epithelium and cornea, did not catalyze the reaction.

The effects of assay temperature on the complex kinetics of acetaldehyde oxidation by aldehyde dehydrogenase from human erythrocytes

Several studies have shown preparations of the cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.3) from sheep and human liver and from human erythrocytes to exhibit complex kinetic behaviour in which the dependence of the initial velocity on the concentration of acetaldehyde gives rise to downwardly curving double-reciprocal plots. This behaviour has often been analysed in terms of a sharp discontinuity in the double-reciprocal plots and its possible implications for the oxidation of acetaldehyde and other pharmacologically important aldehydes has been a subject of speculation. In the present work, it is shown that the purified, apparently homogeneous, enzyme from human erythrocytes exhibits such complex kinetic behaviour when initial rates are determined at 25°, although the double-reciprocal plots describe a smooth curve with no sharp discontinuity. However, when the assays were performed at 37° there was no significant deviation from Michaelis-Menten kinetics over a wide range of acetaldehyde concentrations (0.2–30 mM). At higher concentrations of acetaldehyde inhibition occurred which was competitive with respect to NAD +. These results, which indicate that the complex kinetic behaviour of aldehyde dehydrogenase is not important at physiological temperature, are interpreted in terms of the mechanisms that have been advanced to explain the phenomena.

Structural features of stomach aldehyde dehydrogenase distinguish dimeric aldehyde dehydrogenase as a ‘variable’ enzyme ‘Variable’ and ‘constant’ enzymes within the alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase families

Stomach aldehyde dehydrogenase was structurally evaluated by analysis of peptide fragments of the human enzyme and comparisons with corresponding parts from other characterized aldehyde dehydrogenases. The results establish a large part of the structure, confirming that the stomach enzyme is identical to the inducible or tumor-derived dimeric aldehyde dehydrogenase. In addition, species variations between identical sets of different aldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenases reveal that stomach aldehyde dehydrogenase exhibits a fairly rapid rate of evolutionary changes, similar to that for the likewise ‘variable’ classical alcohol dehydrogenase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, and cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase but in contrast to the ‘constant’ class III alcohol dehydrogenase and mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase. This establishes that rates of divergence in the aldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenases are unrelated to subunit size or quaternary structure, highlights the unique nature of class III alcohol dehydrogenase, and positions the stomach aldehyde dehydrogenase in a group with more ordinary features.