Developmental changes of aldehyde dehydrogenase isozymes in human livers: Mitochondrial ALDH2 isozyme is expressed in fetal livers

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Abstract
Previous reports suggested that the major cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH1) was present in fetal and infant livers, but the major mitochondrial isozyme (ALDH2) was absent or severely diminished. Re-examination by means of starch gel electrophoresis followed by enzyme activity staining, and by means of dot blot immuno-hybridization of liver samples with known genotypes of theALDH 2 locus, indicated that bothALDH 1 andALDH 2 genes are expressed in fetal and infant livers. In addition, ALDH4 isozyme was also observed. The results imply that a fetus with the ‘usual’ homozygousALDH 2 1 /ALDH 2 1 genotype, but not one with the atypicalALDH 2 1 /ALDH 2 2 orALDH 2 2 /ALDH 2 2 , is capable of detoxifying acetaldehyde transferred from the mother.