ALDH1A2
Description
The ALDH1A2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A2) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 15.
ALDH1A2 is a human gene that encodes the enzyme retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (RALDH2), which belongs to the aldehyde dehydrogenase family of proteins. RALDH2 catalyzes the conversion of retinaldehyde to retinoic acid (RA), a crucial signaling molecule derived from vitamin A. RA plays a vital role in the development and function of various tissues. Studies in mice suggest that RALDH2, together with the enzyme cytochrome CYP26A1, regulates local embryonic RA levels essential for posterior organ development and preventing spina bifida. Three different isoforms of ALDH1A2 are encoded by this gene.
ALDH1A2 has been implicated in cancer development, particularly T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), where its overexpression has been observed in more than half of cases. The exact role of ALDH1A2 in T-ALL pathogenesis remains largely unclear.
ALDH1A2 catalyzes the oxidation of aldehyde substrates, including all-trans-retinal and all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinal, to their corresponding carboxylic acids, all-trans-retinoate and all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinoate, respectively. This reaction is NAD-dependent. Retinoate signaling is essential for regulating the transcription of numerous genes and plays a crucial role in initiating meiosis in both males and females. ALDH1A2 recognizes retinal as a substrate, both in its free form and when bound to cellular retinol-binding protein. The enzyme can also metabolize octanal and decanal, but exhibits very low activity with benzaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and propanal. It displays no activity with citral.
ALDH1A2 is also known as DIH4, RALDH(II), RALDH2, RALDH2-T.
