Characterization of three isoenzymes of rat alcohol dehydrogenase

Abstract

Rat tissues contain three different isoenzymes of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) that we have named ADH‐1, ADH‐2 and ADH‐3. ADH‐1 is an anodic isoenzyme present in high amounts in the ocular tissues, stomach and lung. ADH‐2 is also anodic and has been found in all the rat organs examined. ADH‐3 is the group of cathodic ADH forms, mainly present in liver, that has been the subject of the majority of the previous studies on rat ADH. The three isoenzymes have been purified to homogeneity and characterized. All of them have similar physical characteristics: M_r 80 000, with two subunits of M_r 40 000; they contain four atoms of Zn per molecule, and prefer NAD⁺ as cofactor. Isoelectric points are, however, different: 5.1 for ADH‐1, 5.95–6.3 for ADH‐2 and 8.25–8.4 for ADH‐3. ADH‐3 exhibits a K_m for ethanol of 1.4 mM, a broad substrate specificity and is strongly inhibited by pyrazole (K_i= 0.4 μM). ADH‐2 shows substrate specificity toward long‐chain alcohols and aldehydes, cannot be saturated by ethanol and is practically insensitive to pyrazole (K_i= 78.4 mM). ADH‐1 has intermediate properties, with a K_m for ethanol of 340 mM, a broad substrate specificity and K_i for pyrazole of 0.56 mM. Rat ADH‐1, ADH‐2 and ADH‐3 exhibit many analogies with human ADH classes II, III and I respectively. The specific localization and kinetic properties of rat ADH isoenzymes suggest that ADH‐1 and ADH‐3 may act as metabolic barriers to external alcohols and aldehydes whereas ADH‐2 may have a function in the metabolism of the endogenous long‐chain alcohols and aldehydes.