Resumen
Cancer is found amongst the leading causes of death globally, with its incidence rates expected to increase even more over the next decades. Human aldehyde dehydrogenases (hALDHs) are members of the superfamily of NAD(P) dependent enzymes responsible for the oxidation of a variety of endogenous and exogenous aldehydes to their corresponding carboxylic acids. Interestingly, several members of the superfamily have been implicated in cancer pathology. This review provides a detailed description of their multiple physiological functions and 3D structures, and explains their roles in cancer pathology and chemotherapy resistance. It also discusses the effect of structural features, variations and/or alterations on the enzymes? function, and capacity to interact with other proteins. Overall, we aim to provide a better understanding of ALDHs role in cancer development and the promising effects of their inhibition in cancer therapy.