Opposite stereochemical courses for enzyme-mediated alkene reductions of an enantiomeric substrate pair

Rat NADP-dependent leukotriene B4 12-hydroxydehydrogenase (Ltb4dh) catalyzes olefin reductions for some activated alkenes at the expense of NADPH in the absence of a flavin cofactor. Unlike flavoprotein alkene reductases, where net trans-addition of hydrogen has been consistently observed, Ltb4dh reduced both enantiomers of perillaldehyde to the same cis-product. To uncover the reason for this unexpected result, the stereochemical courses of perillaldehyde reductions by Ltb4dh were determined by deuterium labeling followed by (2)H NMR analysis. These data showed unequivocally that Ltb4dh mediated net trans-addition of hydrogen to (R)-perillaldehyde but followed the opposite stereochemical course (net syn-addition) for (S)-perillaldehyde. To the best of our knowledge, such divergent stereochemical pathways for a single enzyme have not previously been reported.