ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASES AND ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASES AMONG INBRED STRAINS OF MICE - MULTIPLICITY, DEVELOPMENT, GENETIC-STUDIES AND METABOLIC ROLES

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) ave the major enzymes responsible for the metabolism a alcohols and aldehydes in the body. Both exist as a family of isozymes in mammals, and have b een extensively studied in animal models, Particularly among inbred st rains of mice. Mouse ADH exists as at least three major classes, which are predominantly localized in liver (classes I and III), and in stom ach/cornea (class IV). Mouse ALDH exhibits extensive multiplicity, sev eral forms of which have been characterized, including ALDH1 (liver cy toplasmic/class 1 isozyme); ALDH2 (liver mitochondrial/class 2.), ALDH 3 (stomach cytosolic/class 3); ALDH4 (liver microsomal/class 3), and A LDH5 (testis cytosolic/class 3). Biochemical, genetic and molecular ge netic analyses have been performed on several of these enzymes, includ ing studies on variant forms of ADH and ALDH. Distinct metabolic roles are proposed, based upon their tissue and subcellular distribution ch aracteristics and the biochemical properties for these enzymes.