Alda-1 has been used as an aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) agonist:
to study its cryoprotective effects on H2O2-induced Achilles tendinopathy in mice Achilles tenocytes
to study its protective effects against alcohol-derived DNA damage in ALDH2 knock out mice
to study its effects on cutaneous wound healing in mice
Biochem/physiol Actions
Alda-1 is an ALDH2 agonist; cell-permeable activator of both the wild-type ALDH2*1 and the asian E487K mutant ALDH2*2 forms of mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2. ALDH2 is the oxidative enzyme, which removes the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde and other aliphatic aldehydes. Also. ALDH2 is involved in bioconversion of vasodilator nitroglycerin to nitric oxide. Alda-1 increases acetaldehyde oxidation by ALDH2*1 (wild type) and ALDH2*2 9 Asian variant) approximately 1.5- and 6-fold, respectively. It appears that Alda-1 stimulates acetaldehyde oxidation by ALDH2 by improving NAD binding, but does not improve the nitroglycerin binding affinity of the Asian variant.
