Abstract

Two distinct forms of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) are known in most mammalian species, a liver/kidney/bone/placental/dental pulp form (universal form) and an intestinal form. They are clearly discriminated one another by quantitative inhibition with L-homoarginine and levamisole, and by their immunological properties. The artificial orthodontic movement of tooth has been reported to induce a change in ALP activity of the periodontium. There are few detailed reports on enzymatic and immunological properties of periodontal ligament ALP. In the present study, properties of ALP in the periodontal ligament were compared with those in other tissues. 1. In both domestic rabbits and monkeys (Macaca fasicularis), activity of ALP was the highest in the periodontal ligament out of various tissues. The activity in rabbits was 3-fold higher than that in monkeys in the periodontal ligament. 2. A SDS-electrophoretic mobility of periodontal ligament ALP was identical with those of ALP from the pulp and alveolar bone of both rabbits and monkeys. All of ALP from these three tissues were markedly inhibited by L-homoarginine and levamisole. Monkey kidney contained only ALP with a shorter mobility than periodontal ligament ALP. In contrast, rabbit kidney contained two forms of ALP with different mobilities from periodontal ligament ALP : one with a shorter mobility is designated ALP 1 and the other with a longer mobility ALP 2. Monkey kidney ALP and rabbit kidney ALP 1 were markedly inhibited by these two inhibitors but ALP 2 was not. 3. Upon Ouchterlony double diffusion analysis, the anti-human universal ALP serum produced a single connecting band of precipitin between periodontal ligament ALP and kidney ALP 1, but did not cross-react with kidney ALP 2 in rabbits. 4. Upon Ouchterlony double diffusion analysis, rabbit kidney ALP 2 cross-reacted with the anti-intestinal ALP serum but did not with the anti-human universal ALP serum. 5. On the basis of inhibition studies and immunological properties described above, it is concluded that in rabbits, periodontal ligament ALP and kidney ALP 1 are an universal form and kidney ALP 2 is an intestinal form. 6. ALP of the periodontal ligament differed from kidney ALP 1 only in the carbohydrate structure. 7. Mammalian kidneys (monkey, bovine, pig, dog, rat and guinea-pig) other than the rabbit seemed to contain only an universal form but not to contain an intestinal form, on the basis of inhibition studies.

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