title: Aldehyde dehydrogenase, aldose reductase, and free radical scavengers in cataract.
abstract: Human lens was found to contain aldehyde dehydrogenase at a level of activity similar to that of bovine lens, namely 1.76 +/- 0.51 IU/g. The enzyme, which appears to be a tetramer of 229 kD, was less susceptible to inhibition by cataractogenic agents than the bovine enzyme. The lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde was a good substrate of the human lens enzyme. The in vitro aldose reductase reaction, which we have shown is caused by glyceraldehyde-stimulated free-radical NADPH oxidation, is inhibited by the potential anti-cataract agents, bendazac acid and bendazac lysine; these compounds also inhibit ferricytochrome c reduction in the presence of DL-glyceraldehyde and scavenge superoxide radicals. These results are consistent with the hypotheses that aldehyde dehydrogenase is a protective enzyme in the human lens, and that the peroxy radical scavenging effects of bendazac acid and bendazac lysine contribute to their anti-cataract activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Crabbe
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Hoe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D000449:Aldehyde Reductase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000378:metabolism; D002386:Cataract / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D007191:Indazoles / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009249:NADP / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D007191:Indazoles; D009249:NADP; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D000449:Aldehyde Reductase; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; C000123:bendazac