**Background of ALDH2 Antibodies**
Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is a mitochondrial enzyme critical for metabolizing toxic aldehydes, including acetaldehyde (a byproduct of alcohol metabolism) and reactive lipid peroxidation products. The *ALDH2* gene exhibits a common polymorphism (Glu504Lys, rs671) prevalent in East Asian populations, which significantly reduces enzyme activity. This variant is linked to alcohol flushing syndrome, increased cancer risk, and susceptibility to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
ALDH2 antibodies are immunological tools designed to detect and quantify ALDH2 protein expression, localization, or functional alterations in research. These antibodies, often polyclonal or monoclonal, are validated for techniques like Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and ELISA. They help investigate ALDH2's role in cellular detoxification, oxidative stress response, and disease mechanisms. For instance, studies use ALDH2 antibodies to explore its protective effects in ischemic heart injury, its association with cancer stem cells, or its dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease.
Given ALDH2's clinical relevance, these antibodies are vital for translational research, enabling insights into genetic susceptibility, biomarker discovery, and therapeutic targeting. Specificity validation across species (human, mouse, rat) and applications in diverse sample types (tissues, cell lines) ensure their utility in both basic and clinical studies.