Human retinol dehydrogenase 13 (RDH13) is a mitochondrial short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase with a retinaldehyde reductase activity

Retinol dehydrogenase 13 (RDH13) is a recently identified short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase related to microsomal retinoid oxidoreductase RDH11. In this study, we examined the distribution of RDH13 in human tissues, determined its subcellular localization and characterized the substrate and cofactor specificity of purified RDH13 in order to better understand its properties. The results of this study demonstrate that RDH13 exhibits a wide tissue distribution and, by contrast with other members of the RDH11-like group of short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases, is a mitochondrial rather than a microsomal protein. Protease protection assays suggest that RDH13 is localized on the outer side of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Kinetic analysis of the purified protein shows that RDH13 is catalytically active and recognizes retinoids as substrates. Similar to the microsomal RDHs, RDH11, RDH12 and RDH14, RDH13 exhibits a much lower Km value for NADPH than for NADH and has a greater catalytic efficiency in the reductive than in the oxidative direction. The localization of RDH13 at the entrance to the mitochondrial matrix suggests that it may function to protect mitochondria against oxidative stress associated with the highly reactive retinaldehyde produced from dietary beta-carotene.

Biochemical properties of purified human retinol dehydrogenase 12 (RDH12): catalytic efficiency toward retinoids and C9 aldehydes and effects of cellular retinol-binding protein type I (CRBPI) and cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP) on the oxidation and reduction of retinoids

Retinol dehydrogenase 12 (RDH12) is a novel member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily of proteins that was recently linked to Leber's congenital amaurosis 3 (LCA). We report the first biochemical characterization of purified human RDH12 and analysis of its expression in human tissues. RDH12 exhibits approximately 2000-fold lower K(m) values for NADP(+) and NADPH than for NAD(+) and NADH and recognizes both retinoids and lipid peroxidation products (C(9) aldehydes) as substrates. The k(cat) values of RDH12 for retinaldehydes and C(9) aldehydes are similar, but the K(m) values are, in general, lower for retinoids. The enzyme exhibits the highest catalytic efficiency for all-trans-retinal (k(cat)/K(m) approximately 900 min(-)(1) microM(-)(1)), followed by 11-cis-retinal (450 min(-)(1) mM(-)(1)) and 9-cis-retinal (100 min(-)(1) mM(-)(1)). Analysis of RDH12 activity toward retinoids in the presence of cellular retinol-binding protein (CRBP) type I or cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP) suggests that RDH12 utilizes the unbound forms of all-trans- and 11-cis-retinoids. As a result, the widely expressed CRBPI, which binds all-trans-retinol with much higher affinity than all-trans-retinaldehyde, restricts the oxidation of all-trans-retinol by RDH12, but has little effect on the reduction of all-trans-retinaldehyde, and CRALBP inhibits the reduction of 11-cis-retinal stronger than the oxidation of 11-cis-retinol, in accord with its higher affinity for 11-cis-retinal. Together, the tissue distribution of RDH12 and its catalytic properties suggest that, in most tissues, RDH12 primarily contributes to the reduction of all-trans-retinaldehyde; however, at saturating concentrations of peroxidic aldehydes in the cells undergoing oxidative stress, for example, photoreceptors, RDH12 might also play a role in detoxification of lipid peroxidation products.

[Protective effect of hydrophilic ubiquinone on cardiac muscle during oxidative stress]

AIM

To assess effects of long term administration of a natural antioxidant ubiquinone on isoproterenol induced myocardial injury.

METHODS

Rats were given hydrophilic ubiquinone with water for 8 weeks.

RESULTS

Long term use of ubiquinone did not affect myocardial ultrastructure and relative myocardial weight. The dose of isoproterenol used in this study exerted moderate damaging action evidenced by disappearance of glycogen from sarcoplasm, development of edema, and partial destruction of mitochondrial cristae. These effects were associated with lowering of maximal magnitude of contractile function of the isolated heart and augmentation of superoxide radicals release in perfusate. These changes (except disappearance of glycogen) were not present in hearts of ubiquinone fed rats. Compared with controls mitochondria isolated from hearts of ubiquinone fed rats had higher respiratory control and more than twice lower rate of superoxide generation.

CONCLUSION

As damaging effects of isoproterenol are mediated by augmented generation of active forms of oxygen the results obtained allow to suggest that myocardium of ubiquinone fed animals is characterized by elevated power of the antioxidant system.

[The protective action of ubiquinone at ischemia and reperfusion]

Effects of prolonged consumption of ubiquinone on myocardial injury caused by ischemia and reperfusion were studied in reperfused rat hearts. Wistar rats received lipophylic or hydrophilic forms of ubiquinone for 6-8 weeks with chow or water, respectively. Isolated isovolumic hearts with a constant volume latex balloon in the left ventricular cavity were subjected to total normothermic ischemia (25 min) and subsequent reperfusion (50 min). Time course of ischemic contracture and its level in both groups of ubiquinone treated animals were similar to those in controls. However recovery of left ventricular developed pressure after reperfusion was significantly better in both ubiquinone groups (54-/+9, 65-/+7, and 24-/+4 mm Hg in animals treated with lipophylic and hydrophylic ubiquinone and controls, respectively, p<0.01). As a result the developed pressure and heart rate product reflecting maximal aerobic capacity of the heart was also better restored. Both ubiquinone groups demonstrated absence of increased coronary tone that was characteristic for control animals. Mitochondria isolated from reperfused hearts of ubiquinone treated rats showed better preservation of structure and respiratory control. Rate of succinate-dependent generation of superoxide radicals determined with a spin trap TIRON in mitochondria from hearts of rats treated with hydrophylic ubiquinone (35-/+8 mmol O(2) /min/g) was approximately twice lower (p<0.05) than in control group (74-/+12 mmol O(2) /min/g) while the value in lipophylic ubiquinone group (48-/+9 mmol O(2) /min/g) did not differ significantly from the control. The results evidence that prolonged consumption of water-soluble ubiquinone increases resistance of rat myocardium to injuring action of reperfusion.

Fatty acids as natural uncouplers preventing generation of O2.- and H2O2 by mitochondria in the resting state

Both natural (laurate) and artificial (m-chlorocarbonylcyanide phenylhydrazone; CCCP) uncouplers strongly inhibit O2.- and H2O2 formation by rat heart mitochondria oxidizing succinate. Carboxyatractylate, an ATP/ADP antiporter inhibitor, abolishes the laurate inhibition, the CCCP inhibition being unaffected. Atractylate partially releases the inhibition by laurate and decelerates the releasing effect of carboxyatractylate. GDP is much less effective than carboxyatractylate in releasing the laurate inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Micromolar laurate concentrations arresting the ROS formation cause strong inhibition of reverse electron transfer from succinate to NAD+, whereas State 4 respiration and the transmembrane electric potential difference (delta psi) level are affected only slightly. It is suggested that (i) free fatty acids operate as natural 'mild uncouplers' preventing the transmembrane electrochemical H+ potential difference (delta muH+) from being above a threshold critical for ROS formation by complex I and, to a lesser degree, by complex III of the respiratory chain, and (ii) it is the ATP/ADP-antiporter, rather than uncoupling protein 2, that is mainly involved in this antioxidant mechanism of heart muscle mitochondria.