title: Aldehyde Dehydrogenase-2 Roles in Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity, incurring a major burden of medical care. Even with increasing application of emergent recanalization (PCI and CABG) therapy, ischemia and ischemic reperfusion injury remain as the dominant pathological process that damages cardiomyocytes. Mitochondrial Aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) is a multifunctional enzyme catalyzing the oxidation of aldehydes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Accumulating data have shown that ALDH2 can help restore mitochondria function by eliminating toxic aldehyde and participating in cellular signaling important for cell adaption and survival. This article reviews the biology and pathobiology roles of ALDH2 in the ischemic cardiovascular disease, focusing on the genetic evidence associated with the oriental patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ALDH2*2 mutant allele (deficiency genotype) is present in nearly half of the East Asian population. Development of a safe way to restore ALDH2 function in this population thus has unique clinical implication.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Xiangwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China.|Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Aijun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D000483:Alleles; D001208:Asia; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000235:genetics*; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C096127:ALDH2 protein, human; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial
keywords: ALDH2; cardiac injury; enzyme; ischemic heart disease; mitochondria; polymorphisms