Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (760 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
An aldotriose containing the propionaldehyde structure with hydroxy groups at the 2- and 3-positions. It is involved in the formation of advanced glycosylation end products.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Aldehydes; Trioses
- Narrower topics
- Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate
Related concepts
- Advanced Glycosylation End Products
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 1,518 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Glyceraldehyde” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 87 of them (5.7%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 948 records.
Reviews account for 33 records (2.2%) and meta-analyses for 0. Randomized controlled trials number 2 (0.1%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 948 |
| 2000-2009 | 238 |
| 2010-2019 | 245 |
| 2020 onward | 87 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 33 | 2.2% |
| Meta-analyses | 0 | 0.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 2 | 0.1% |
Method: PubMed query "Glyceraldehyde"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in drugs and chemicals
Studies of a chemical or drug can answer very different questions: what it is and how it behaves in cells and animals, how the body handles it, and whether it changes outcomes in people. Laboratory and animal findings often do not carry over to patients, and observational studies of exposures are confounded by who uses a substance and why. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to use, avoid, start or stop any substance or medicine; talk to a qualified clinician or pharmacist about your own situation. Check the dose, the species, the comparison group and whether a patient-relevant outcome was measured.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
Inhibitory activity spectrum of reuterin produced by Lactobacillus reuteri against intestinal bacteria [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundReuterin produced from glycerol by Lactobacillus reuteri, a normal inhabitant of the human intestine, is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent.
- Closing excerpt
- This suggests that detoxification by LMW-SH such as glutathione is not a general mechanism and that other mechanisms are probably involved in bacterial tolerance to reuterin and hydrogene peroxide.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (280 words)
BackgroundReuterin produced from glycerol by Lactobacillus reuteri, a normal inhabitant of the human intestine, is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent. It has been postulated that reuterin could play a role in the probiotic effects of Lb. reuteri. Reuterin is active toward enteropathogens, yeasts, fungi, protozoa and viruses, but its effect on commensal intestinal bacteria is unknown. Moreover reuterin's mode of action has not yet been elucidated. Glutathione, a powerful antioxidant, which also plays a key role in detoxifying reactive aldehydes, protects certain bacteria from oxidative stress, and could also be implicated in resistance to reuterin. The aim of this work was to test the activity of reuterin against a representative panel of intestinal bacteria and to study a possible correlation between intracellular low molecular weight thiols (LMW-SH) such as glutathione, hydrogen peroxide and/or reuterin sensitivity. Reuterin was produced by Lb. reuteri SD2112 in pure glycerol solution, purified and used to test the minimal inhibitory (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC). Hydrogen peroxide sensitivity and intracellular LMW-SH concentration were also analysed.ResultsOur data showed that most tested intestinal bacteria showed MIC below that for a sensitive indicator Escherichia coli (7.5-15 mM). Lactobacilli and Clostridium clostridioforme were more resistant with MIC ranging from 15 to 50 mM. No correlation between bacterial intracellular concentrations of LMW-SH, including glutathione, and reuterin or hydrogen peroxide sensitivities were found.ConclusionOur data showed that intestinal bacteria were very sensitive to reuterin and that their intracellular concentration of LMW-SH was not directly linked to their capacity to resist reuterin or hydrogen peroxide. This suggests that detoxification by LMW-SH such as glutathione is not a general mechanism and that other mechanisms are probably involved in bacterial tolerance to reuterin and hydrogene peroxide.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 17997816 · DOI · PMC2222629
Acrolein contributes strongly to antimicrobial and heterocyclic amine transformation activities of reuterin [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Glycerol/diol dehydratases catalyze the conversion of glycerol to 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA), the basis of a multi-component system called reuterin.
- Closing excerpt
- We propose to re-define the term reuterin to include acrolein.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (150 words)
Glycerol/diol dehydratases catalyze the conversion of glycerol to 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA), the basis of a multi-component system called reuterin. Reuterin has antimicrobial properties and undergoes chemical conjugation with dietary heterocyclic amines (HCAs). In aqueous solution reuterin is in dynamic equilibrium with the toxicant acrolein. It was the aim of this study to investigate the extent of acrolein formation at various physiological conditions and to determine its role in biological and chemical activities. The application of a combined novel analytical approach including IC-PAD, LC-MS and NMR together with specific acrolein scavengers suggested for the first time that acrolein, and not 3-HPA, is the active compound responsible for HCA conjugation and antimicrobial activity attributed to reuterin. As formation of the HCA conjugate was observed in vivo, our results imply that acrolein is formed in the human gut with implications on detoxification of HCAs. We propose to re-define the term reuterin to include acrolein.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 27819285 · DOI · PMC5098142
Glyceraldehyde caused Alzheimer's disease-like alterations in diagnostic marker levels in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Clinical evidence has implicated diabetes mellitus as one of the risk factors for the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- Closing excerpt
- These results suggest that the production of GA-AGEs and/or inhibition of glycolysis induce AD-like alterations, and this model may be useful for examining the pathophysiology of AD.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (131 words)
Clinical evidence has implicated diabetes mellitus as one of the risk factors for the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the neurotoxic pathway activated due to abnormalities in glucose metabolism has not yet been identified in AD. In order to investigate the relationship between impaired cerebral glucose metabolism and the pathophysiology of AD, SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were exposed to glyceraldehyde (GA), an inhibitor of glycolysis. GA induced the production of GA-derived advanced glycation end-products (GA-AGEs) and cell apoptosis, glycolytic inhibition, decreases in the medium concentrations of diagnostic markers of AD, such as amyloid β 1-42 (Aβ42), and increases in tau phosphorylation. These results suggest that the production of GA-AGEs and/or inhibition of glycolysis induce AD-like alterations, and this model may be useful for examining the pathophysiology of AD.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 26304819 · DOI · PMC4548441
Glyceraldehyde May Induce the Generation of High-Molecular-Weight Species of HSP90β and Autophagy-Related Proteins and Alter Protein Levels in Human Renal Epithelial Cells [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Kidney disease (KD) is a major health problem, and metabolic disorders contribute to diabetic nephropathy and chronic kidney disease, in which renal epithelial cell dysfunction plays an important role.
- Closing excerpt
- Overall, GA may induce the generation of HMW species of HSP90β and autophagy-related proteins and may contribute to altered cellular homeostasis, with AGE-related processes potentially contributing to these effects.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (199 words)
Kidney disease (KD) is a major health problem, and metabolic disorders contribute to diabetic nephropathy and chronic kidney disease, in which renal epithelial cell dysfunction plays an important role. Intracellular advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) may contribute to KD progression by disrupting cellular homeostasis; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of glyceraldehyde (GA) on molecular chaperone- and autophagy-related proteins in human renal epithelial cells (HK-2), with particular attention to AGE-related processes. Administration of high-fructose corn syrup to healthy Wistar rats increased argpyrimidine immunoreactivity in the renal tubular epithelial cells, compared with that in controls, suggesting enhanced accumulation of this GA-related AGE in vivo. In HK-2 cells, GA treatment caused concentration-dependent reductions in NADPH and ATP levels, accompanied by morphological changes. High molecular weight (HMW) immunoreactive species of HSP90β, Beclin-1, and ATG7 appeared following GA treatment. GA at 1.5 mM increased LC3-I, LC3-II, and p62 levels, whereas treatment with 2 mM GA attenuated these increases. Aminoguanidine, an inhibitor of AGE formation, attenuated these GA-induced alterations. Overall, GA may induce the generation of HMW species of HSP90β and autophagy-related proteins and may contribute to altered cellular homeostasis, with AGE-related processes potentially contributing to these effects.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42939742 · DOI · PMC13702707
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Mechanism for the formation of methylglyoxal from triosephosphates [5]
- Research article 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde: applications and perspectives of biotechnological production [6]
- Research article Brain glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in human trinucleotide repeat disorders [7]
- Research article Acrolein in wine: importance of 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde and derivatives in production and detection [8]
- Research article Structures of Toxic Advanced Glycation End-Products Derived from Glyceraldehyde, A Sugar Metabolite [9]
References
- Cleusix V, Lacroix C, Vollenweider S, Duboux M, Le Blay G. Inhibitory activity spectrum of reuterin produced by Lactobacillus reuteri against intestinal bacteria. . 2007. PMID 17997816 · DOI · PMC2222629
- Engels C, Schwab C, Zhang J, Stevens MJ, Bieri C, Ebert MO, et al.. Acrolein contributes strongly to antimicrobial and heterocyclic amine transformation activities of reuterin. . 2016. PMID 27819285 · DOI · PMC5098142
- Koriyama Y, Furukawa A, Muramatsu M, Takino J, Takeuchi M. Glyceraldehyde caused Alzheimer's disease-like alterations in diagnostic marker levels in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. . 2015. PMID 26304819 · DOI · PMC4548441
- Nguyen TT, Takata T, Inoue S, Vu DA, Shioya A, Shimasaki M, et al.. Glyceraldehyde May Induce the Generation of High-Molecular-Weight Species of HSP90β and Autophagy-Related Proteins and Alter Protein Levels in Human Renal Epithelial Cells. . 2026. PMID 42939742 · DOI · PMC13702707
- Richard JP. Mechanism for the formation of methylglyoxal from triosephosphates. Biochem Soc Trans. 1993. PMID 8359530 · DOI
- Vollenweider S, Lacroix C. 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde: applications and perspectives of biotechnological production. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2004. PMID 14669058 · DOI
- Kish SJ, Lopes-Cendes I, Guttman M, Furukawa Y, Pandolfo M, Rouleau GA, et al.. Brain glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in human trinucleotide repeat disorders. Arch Neurol. 1998. PMID 9779656 · DOI
- Bauer R, Cowan DA, Crouch A. Acrolein in wine: importance of 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde and derivatives in production and detection. J Agric Food Chem. 2010. PMID 20192219 · DOI
- Sakai-Sakasai A, Takeda K, Suzuki H, Takeuchi M. Structures of Toxic Advanced Glycation End-Products Derived from Glyceraldehyde, A Sugar Metabolite. Biomolecules. 2024. PMID 38397439 · DOI · PMC10887030
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.