Abstract |
The usefulness of a cholinesterase assay and electrophoresis in the prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects was investigated in amniotic fluids from 1,512 women. The assay used a alpha-naphthyl acetate as substrate and measured the combined activity of the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE, E.C. 3.1.1.7) and cholinesterase (ChE, E.C. 3.1.1.8); the activity of both enzymes was raised in amniotic fluid from women carrying open NTDs. The alpha-naphthyl acetate assay distinguished fetuses with neural tube defects from normal fetuses more effectively than assays using acetylthiocholine as substate. A perfect score could be obtained on the sample tested when both enzyme assay and electrophoresis were done on those samples with activity greater than or equal to 4 mU. There was no correlation between gestational age between 13-21 weeks and activity of AChE + ChE (r = 0.03). The electrophoretic band of AChE activity proved to be a valuable diagnostic adjunct to both AFP or the AChE + ChE assay. A similar band or AChE activity was seen in adult brain and intestine but not in kidney, heart, liver, or lung, or in sera from women carrying normal or NTD fetuses.
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Authors | N E Simpson |
Journal | Isozymes
(Isozymes Curr Top Biol Med Res)
Vol. 11
Pg. 37-49
( 1983)
ISSN: 0160-3787 [Print] United States |
PMID | 6642992
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Amniotic Fluid
(enzymology)
- Cholinesterases
(metabolism)
- Clinical Enzyme Tests
- Diagnostic Errors
- Female
- Gestational Age
- Humans
- Neural Tube Defects
(diagnosis)
- Pregnancy
- Prenatal Diagnosis
- Substrate Specificity
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