Subcellular alcohol and aldehyde-dehydrogenases in the genital system of the female rat

Selected rat endocrine tissue, i.e., ovary, uterus and vagina were fractionated into nuclear (NC), mitochondrial (MT), and into their cytoplasmic components for the measurement of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in infantile and in adult female rats. The genital organs studied possessed ALDH in all subcellular fractions isolated with exception of MT-preparation of the vaginal tissue of adult rats. Measurable ADH was determined in ovarian NC fraction. Increased specific activity of ALDH as a function of age was noted in MT and CT preparations of the uterus. Kinetic studies performed on ALDH indicate a similar Vmax for all ovarian fractions of infantile and adult female rats. The NC preparation of the uterus showed higher Vmax than the remainder of the subcellular fractions studied. The apparent Km was also determined for ALDH in various genital tissues fractionated and compared to the corresponding subcellular component of the liver. The Vmax of MT and CT-ALDH of major reproductive tissues of infantile rats studied accounted for at least 30% to 50% and for 10% to 25% of that of hepatic CT-ALDH, respectively. This difference was further reduced in adult rats. The results indicate the presence of NAD-dependent ALDH in various subcellular fractions of the female genital system which may be important in the gonadal metabolic detoxification of ethanol derived acetaldehyde.