Detection of alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes in liver and serum by electrophoresis in liver disease

Abstract

AIM: To establish an agarose gel electrophoretic method for detecting alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes in human serum or liver tissue. METHODS: The samples of human liver tissue or serum were electrophoresed with 74 mmol/L diethylbarbital buffer (pH 8.6) of 10 g/L agarose gel. Electrophoresis can separate the Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH) isoenzymes to three bands clearly at 20 mA for 20 min in serum. RESULTS: The total ADH activity in serum of sixty-seven patients with liver diseases was ranged from 0.013 Kat/L to 0.021 Kat/L. ADH isoenzyme was ranged from 0.01 to 0.30 of the total activities . ADH isoenzyme was from 0.12 to 0.31 . ADH was from 0.39 to 0.80. Total ADH activity in liver tissues of ten healthy subjects was ranged from 0.136 Kat/L to 0.196 Kat/L. ADH isoenzyme was from 0.07 to 0.25 of the total activities. ADH isoenzyme was ranged from 0.19 to 0.27. ADH was from 0.56 to 0.73. CONCLUSION: ADH activity is high in normal human liver. Three ADH isoenzymes can be separated with agarose gel electrophoresis . But serum ADH activity is low. High activities were obtained in serum from persons suffering from serious liver diseases. Mi QM, Cao LN, Gao CF. Detection of alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes in liver and serum by electrophoresis in liver disease. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2003;11(8):1175-1177