Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C8 (AKR1C8)

AKR1C8 (Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C8) is a predicted protein in humans, annotated as a member of the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) superfamily of enzymes, which generally catalyze the reduction of carbonyl groups in substrates such as steroids or prostaglandins. Bioinformatics resources state that AKR1C8 is expected to have oxidoreductase activity and be involved in prostaglandin biosynthesis; however, there is no experimental validation of its function or disease relevance in humans. It is closely related by sequence to other AKR1C family members. Current literature, nomenclature databases, and disease-target resources do not recognize AKR1C8 as a validated therapeutic target, and it may represent a pseudogene or predicted locus rather than a functional gene in humans. While AKR1C8 is listed in some genomic resources as a protein-coding gene, it lacks established functional or therapeutic significance, with little to no experimental or clinical data supporting functional activity or involvement in disease in humans. The most studied human AKR1C enzymes (AKR1C1–AKR1C4) participate in steroid hormone metabolism, but AKR1C8 is not among these well-characterized members. Furthermore, some aliases and database references conflate pseudogenes and predicted loci for AKR1C8/AKR1CL1/AKR1C8P, increasing the risk of misannotation. There are no described drugs, mechanisms of action, biomarker roles, or established disease associations for AKR1C8, reinforcing that it is not considered a validated drug target.

Other names

AKR1C8AKR1C8PAKR1CL1Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C-like protein 1protein RAKcputative aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C8