Mammalian aldehyde dehydrogenases: regulation of gene expression.

Abstract

The mammalian aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH) are a family of functionally and structurally related enzymes encoded by multiple genes. Genes representing each major class of mammalian ALDHs, Class 1, 2 and 3, have been cloned and characterized. Functional analysis of the 5' flanking regions of these genes is just beginning, but such studies suggest roles for a diverse set of cis-elements and trans-acting factors in the tissue-specific and ligand-mediated expression of the ALDH genes.