Aldo Keto Reductase Family 7, Member A3 (AKR7A3)

Aldo-keto reductases, such as AKR7A3, are involved in the detoxification of aldehydes and ketones.The deduced 331-amino acid protein has a calculated molecular mass of 37 kD. AKR7A3 and AKR7A2 share 88% amino acid identity. Northern blot analysis detected ubiquitous expression of a 1.4-kb transcript, with highest expression in stomach, pancreas, kidney, and liver. Lowest expression was in lung and peripheral blood leukocytes. Western blot analysis detected AKR7A3 in liver at an apparent molecular mass of 37 kD.bacterially expressed human AKR7A3 was active against an AKR model substrate, 4-nitrobenzaldehyde, over a broad pH range (pH 5 to 8), with an optimum at pH 6.6. It was also active against 9,10-phenanthrenequinone and the toxic fungal metabolite aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) dihydrodiol.The conversion of AFB1 dihydrodiol to ABF1 dialcohol was NADP(+)-dependent.