AKR1C2

This gene encodes a member of the aldo/keto reductase superfamily, which consists of more than 40 known enzymes and proteins. These enzymes catalyze the conversion of aldehydes and ketones to their corresponding alcohols using NADH and/or NADPH as cofactors. The enzymes display overlapping but distinct substrate specificity. This particular enzyme, AKR1C2, binds bile acid with high affinity, and shows minimal 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. The AKR1C2 gene shares high sequence identity with three other gene members and is clustered with those three genes at chromosome 10p15-p14. Three transcript variants encoding two different isoforms have been found for this gene.^[7] The AKR1C2 enzyme catalyzes reactions at specific positions on the steroid nucleus. Specifically, AKR enzymes, including AKR1C2, act as 3α/β-HSDs, 17β-HSDs, and 20α-HSDs, catalyzing NAD(P)(H)-dependent oxidoreduction of substituents at the C3, C17, and C20 positions of the steroid nucleus.^[8][9][10]

AKR1C2 binds bile acid with high affinity catalyzing aldo-keto reduction reaction.^[7]

Aldo-keto reductases, including AKR1C2, are NAD(P)H-linked oxidoreductases that primarily catalyze the reduction of aldehydes and ketones to primary and secondary alcohols. This reduction is dependent on NADPH.^[11][12]

In the context of bile acids, the AKR1C2 enzyme would bind to the bile acid (a type of steroid molecule) and catalyze the reduction of a carbonyl group (C=O) present in the bile acid to a hydroxy group (-OH), using NADPH as a cofactor.^[11][12] This reaction is part of the broader metabolic processes that these enzymes are involved in, which include biosynthesis, intermediary metabolism, and detoxification.^[11][12]

The AKR1C2 enzyme is also known as 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (3α-HSD3), meaning that the enzyme possesses 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, i.e. it can hydroxylate steroids at a carbon position 3α of the steroid nucleus, attaching the hydroxy group (-OH) to carbon 3 in α stereiodirection. 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases, including AKR1C2, are NAD(P)H-linked oxidoreductases that primarily catalyze the oxidation of 3α-hydroxysteroids to their corresponding 3-ketosteroids. This oxidation is dependent on NAD+. The substrates for the 3α-HSD3 enzyme are steroids such as androgens, estrogens, and progestins, which regulate various sex functions. For example, 3α-HSD3 can catalyze the conversion of the potent androgen 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) into its much less active form, 5α-androstan-3α,17β-diol (3α-diol), effectively deactivating biological action of DHT.^{[13][14][15][16]}