Carbonyl stress and detoxification ability in the male genital tract and testis of rats.

Carbonyl compounds, which are naturally produced and augmented under oxidative stress, have deleterious effects on the reproductive system. The aldo-keto reductase (AKR) family of enzymes catalyze the reductive detoxification of various carbonyl compounds in an NADPH-dependent manner. To elucidate involvement of AKR in detoxification of endogenously produced carbonyls in the male reproductive system, we investigated the differential expression and tissue localization of aldehyde reductase (ALR) and protein adducts produced by reaction with lipid peroxidation products. A strong immunoreactivity to an anti-ALR antibody was observed in the epithelia of the epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle, and prostate gland. Virtually the same cells were stained with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) 5F6, raised against an acrolein-modified protein. In the testis, however, mAb5F6 specifically stained the nuclei of somatic cells and less differentiated spermatogenic cells. While acrolein inactivated glutathione reductase, an enzyme involved in recycling oxidized glutathione, AKR activity was affected at the high concentration only. The colocalization of lipid peroxidation products and AKR in the epithelia of the male genital tract indicates that these tissues are exposed to oxidative stress and possess a protective system coordinately.