Purification of aldose reductase from human placenta and stabilization of the inhibitor binding site.

Aldose reductase from human placenta was purified to homogeneity by a rapid (2 day) and efficient purification scheme involving Red Sepharose affinity chromatography, chromatofocusing and high performance liquid chromatography on a size-exclusion column. Addition of NADP+ at all steps in the purification of aldose reductase and during storage of the enzyme at -20 degrees stabilized both the enzyme active site and the major site for binding of aldose reductase inhibitors such as sorbinil and tolrestat. Aldose reductase is a monomer with a molecular mass of 38 kD by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, apparent pI 5.9. Placenta aldose reductase exhibited no cross-reactivity with aldehyde reductase from human liver in an ELISA assay. Aldose reductase showed broad specificity for aldehydes, was specific for NADPH, and was activated by sulfate.