Aspartate aminotransferase distribution

McKenna,M. C.,Stevenson,J. H.,Huang,X. etal. Differential distribution of the enzymes glutamate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase in cortical synaptic mitochondria contributes to metabolic compartmentation in cortical synaptic terminals. Neurochem. Int. 37 229-241, 2000. 

Table 5.4 Distribution of Cysteine Residues in Aspartate Aminotransferases...

Several markers should no longer be used to evaluate cardiac disease, including aspartate aminotransferase, total CK, total lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and LDH isoenzymes. Due to their wide tissue distribution, these markers have poor specificity for the detection of cardiac injury. Because total CK and CK-MB have served as standards for so many years, some laboratories may continue to measure them to allow for comparisons to cardiac troponin over time, before discontinuing use of CK and CK-MB. In addition, the use of total CK in developing countries may be the preferred or only alternative for financial reasons. However, it should be clear that, for monitoring ACS patients to assist in clinical classification, cardiac troponin is the preferred biomarker. 

The selection of which enzyme to measure in serum for diagnostic or prognostic purposes depends on a number of factors. An important factor is the distribution of enzymes among the various tissues, shown, for example, for aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and creatine kinase in Figure 8-14. The main enzymes of established clinical value, together with their tissues of origin and their major clinical applications, are listed in Table 8-3 (see also Chapter 21). 

There are five enzymes that are commonly used in diagnosis of liver disease Aspartate aminotransferase (AST EC 2.6.1.1), alanine aminotransferase (ALT EC 2.6.1.2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP 3.1.3.1), and y-glutamyl transferase (GGT EC 2.3.2.2), are commonly used to detect liver injury, and lactate dehydrogenase (LD EC 1.1.1.27) is occasionaEy used. ALT and GGT are present in several tissues, but plasma activities primarily reflect liver injury. AST is found in liver, muscle (cardiac and skeletal), and to a liipited extent iti fed cells. LD has wide tissue distribution, and is thus relatively nonspecific. ALP is found in a number of tissues, but in normal individuals primarEy reflects bone and liver sources. Thus based on tissue distribution, ALT and GGT would seem to be the most specific markers for liver injury. 

Rubio ME, Juiz JM (1998) Chemical anatomy of excitatory endings in the dorsal cochlear nucleus of the rat differential synaptic distribution of aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate, and vesicular zinc. J Comp Neurol 399 341-358. 

Najlerahim A, Harrison PJ, Barton AJL, Heffernan J, Pearson RCA (1990) Distribution of messenger RNAs encoding the enzymes glutaminase, aspartate aminotransferase and glutamic acid decarboxyla.se in rat brain. Mol Brain Res 7 317-333. 

Often there is no good clinical test available to determine the exact type of hepatic lesion, short of liver biopsy. There are certain patterns of enzyme elevation that have been identified and can be helpful (Table 38-3). ° The specificity of any serum enzyme depends on the distribution of that enzyme in the body. Alkaline phosphatase is found in the bile duct epithelium, bone, and intestinal and kidney cells. 5-Nucleotidase is more specific for hepatic disease than alkaline phosphatase, because most of the body s store of 5 -nucleotidase is in the liver. Glutamate dehydrogenase is a good indicator of centrolobular necrosis because it is found primarily in centrolobular mitochondria. Most hepatic cells have extremely high concentrations of transaminases. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are commonly measured. Because of their high concentrations and easy liberation from the hepato-cyte cytoplasm, AST and ALT are very sensitive indicators of necrotic lesions within the liver. After an acute hepatic lesion is established, it may take weeks for these concentrations to return to normal. ... 

Several of the common enzyme measurements aimed at detecting hepatotoxicity are not specific to the liver, show a widespread tissue distribution, and are therefore affected by damage to extrahepatic tissue (e.g., alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase following injury to cardiac or skeletal muscles). The development of troponin assays has provided an alternative to enzyme measurements as indicators of cardiotoxicity, but not for myotoxicity here, the timing and the methods of sample collection are particularly critical for the detection of cardiac or muscle damage (see Chapter 7). 

Waner, T. 1991. Population distribution profiles of the activities of blood alanine and aspartate aminotransferase in the normal F344 inbred rat by age and sex. Laboratory Animals 25 263-271. 

The metabolic steps in gluconeogenesis occur in two intracellular compartments (Fig. 3.2) the cytosol and the mitochondrial matrix. The enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle reside in the mitochondrial matrix, apart from succinate dehydrogenase which is present in the inner mitochondrial membrane, whereas most of the enzymes of the gluconeogenic pathway are present in the cytosol. Transaminases, such as alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, are present both in mitochondria and cytosol of the domestic fowl liver (Sarkar, 1977). One of the control enzymes in gluconeogenesis, PEPCK, has a different intracellular distribution in avian liver compared with mammalian liver (Table 3.3). PEPCK in both pigeon and domestic fowl liver is present almost exclusively (> 99%) in mitochondria (Soling et al.. 1973), whereas in most mammals that have been studied, it is present mainly in the cytosol, and only present, if at all, in smaller amounts in... 

Lin C T, Li H Z, and Wu J,-Y (1983b) Immunocytochemical studies and comparison of regional distribution of L-glutamate decarboxylase, gamma aminobutync acid transaminase, cysteinsul-finic acid decarboxylase, aspartate aminotransferase and somatostatin m rat retina Brain Res, 270, 273-283... 

Moreover CSA is a good substrate for the widely distributed Aspartate aminotransferase (17). This will certainly decreases the probability of CSA being used or to be transferred to other tissues for the TAU production. 

Unlike glycolysis, which occurs strictly in the cell cytosol, gluconeogen-esis involves a complex interaction between the mitochondrion and the cytosol. This interaction is necessitated by the irreversibility of the pyruvate kinase reaction, by the relative impermeability of the inner mitochondrial membrane to oxaloacetate, and by the specific mitochondrial location of pyruvate carboxylase. Compartmentation within the cell has led to the distribution of a number of enzymes (aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, and NAD -malate dehydrogenase) in both the mitochondria and the cytosol. In the classical situation represented by the rat, mouse, or hamster hepatocyte, the indirect "translocation" of oxaloacetate—the product of the pyruvate carboxylase reaction—into the cytosol is effected by the concerted action of these enzymes. Within the mitochondria oxaloacetate is converted either to malate or aspartate, or both. Following the exit of these metabolites from the mitochondria, oxaloacetate is regenerated by essentially similar reactions in the cytosol and is subsequently decarboxylated to P-enolpyruvate by P-enol-pyruvate carboxykinase. Thus the presence of a membrane barrier to oxaloacetate leads to the functioning of the malate-aspartate shuttle as an important element in gluconeogenesis. 

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