Overview:

Malate dehydrogenase is an enzyme that uses the reduction of NAD+ to NADH to reversibly catalyze the oxidation malate to oxaloacetate (1). It functions in various metabolic pathways including in the Krebs cycle where it protects against oxidative stress as oxaloacetate binds free radicals (2). Release of malate dehydrogenase into the serum is an indicator of tissue damage and has been implicated as a biomarker of several diseases (3,4). Applications of this enzyme include enzymatic determination of L-malate and of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) in clinical analysis.

References:

1. Minárik P., et al. Malate dehydrogenases--structure and function. Gen Physiol Biophys. 2002 Sep;21(3):257-65. PMID: 12537350.

2. Takahashi-Íñiguez T., et al. Function, kinetic properties, crystallization, and regulation of microbial malate dehydrogenase. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2016 Apr;17(4):247–61. PMCID: PMC4829630.

3. Shelli S., et al. Assessment of Emerging Biomarkers of Liver Injury in Human Subjects, Toxicological Sciences, Volume 132, Issue 2, April 2013, Pages 276–283.

4. Ma YC, et al: Urinary malate dehydrogenase 2 is a new biomarker for early detection of non-small-cell lung cancer. Cancer Sci. Jun;112(6):2349-2360, 2021.