Mitochondrial Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, A Potential Drug Target for Protection of Heart and Brain from Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) is an isoenzyme of aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH), a group of enzymes that are responsible for clearance of aldehydes in the body. In animal myocardial or cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) models, accumulation of toxic aldehydes, such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and malondialdehyde, is thought to be an important mechanism for myocardial and cerebral I/R injury. Among the isoenzymes of ALDH, ALDH2 is believed to play a major role in clearance of toxic aldehydes. Thus, ALDH2 might be a potential drug target for protection of the heart or brain from I/R injury. Indeed, some of the newly identified ALDH2 activators (such as Alda-1) have demonstrated beneficial effects on heart and brain I/R injury. In addition, ALDH activity is present at high levels in some stem or progenitor cells, known as ALDH bright (ALDH(br)) cells, which possess potential value in treating patients with myocardial ischemia. The main purpose of this review is 1) to summarize recent findings regarding the role of ALDH2 in protection of heart or brain from I/R injury, 2) to list the available ALDH2 activators with their potency, selectivity and clinical potentials, and 3) to provide a rationale for ALDH(br) cells in clinical therapeutic value.