Cytosolic AKR1B1 (aldose reductase) catalyzes the reaction of glucose (Glc) and NADPH + H+ to form D-sorbitol and NADP+. This reaction was first described by Hers (1960) in sheep seminal vesicles; the human enzyme was identified by Nishimura et al. (1990) and is a potential target for treatment of diabetic neuropathy (Oates, 2008). The active enzyme is a monomer (Ruiz et al. 2004) whose amino-terminal methionine residue has been removed (Jacquinod et al. 1993). Under physiological conditions, formation of D-sorbitol is strongly favored (Grimshaw 1992).
Van Dorsselaer, A, Andriantomanga, V, Barth, P, Biellmann, JF, Kieffer, S, Reymann, JM, Potier, N, Klarskov, K, Jaquinod, M, Sorokine, O
Hers, HG
Grimshaw, CE
Oates, PJ
Morjana, N, Carper, D, Flynn, TG, Kokai, Y, Lyons, C, Nishimura, C, Matsuura, Y, Akera, T
Ruiz, F, Joachimiak, A, Hazemann, I, Podjarny, A, Karplus, M, Mitschler, A, Schneider, T
alditol:NADP+ 1-oxidoreductase activity of AKR1B1 [cytosol]
© 2022 Reactome
