SERUM LEVELS OF CREATINE PHOSPHOKINASE

Highly Sensitive High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Laser Induced Fluorescence for Proteomics Applications

This paper describes the sensitivity study and performance evaluation of high-performance liquid chromatography-laser-induced fluorescence detection (HPLC-LIF) system assembled in our laboratory for proteomics applications. The limits of Detection (LOD) of several serum proteins have been estimated with this instrument and are found to be much lower compared to other commonly used proteomics techniques like SELDI, MALDI, 2-D-SDS-PAGE, and so forth. Techniques for improving the LOD still further with similar setup are briefly discussed. Using the system, protein profiles of serum in normal, malignant, and premalignant conditions were recorded for different malignancy situations.

Creatine kinase MM TaqI and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T and A1298C gene polymorphisms influence exercise-induced C-reactive protein levels

Physical training induces beneficial adaptations, but exhausting exercise increases reactive oxygen species, which can cause muscular injuries with consequent inflammatory processes, implying jeopardized performance and possibly overtraining. Acute strenuous exercise almost certainly exceeds the benefits of physical activity; it can compromise performance and may contribute to increased future risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in athletes. Polymorphisms in the muscle-type creatine kinase (CK-MM) gene may influence performance and adaptation to training, while many potentially significant genetic variants are reported as risk factors for CVD. Therefore, we investigated the influence of polymorphisms in CK-MM TaqI and NcoI, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T and A1298C) and C-reactive protein (CRP G1059C) genes on exercise-induced damage and inflammation markers. Blood samples were taken immediately after a race (of at least 4 km) that took place outdoors on flat tracks, and were submitted to genotyping and biochemical evaluation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), CK, CRP and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP). CK-MM TaqI polymorphism significantly influenced results of AST, CK and hs-CRP, and an association between MTHFR C677T and A1298C with CRP level was found, although these levels did not exceed reference values. Results indicate that these polymorphisms can indirectly influence performance, contribute to higher susceptibility to exercise-induced inflammation or protection against it, and perhaps affect future risks of CVD in athletes.

Serum aldolase and phosphocreatine kinase in umbilical cord blood

Aldolase was estimated in the cord blood of 81 newborn infants and phosphocreatine kinase in 87 infants. There is a wide range in the results, with some values falling in the range reported in children with muscular dystrophy or of carriers of the disease. There is no correlation of the serum enzyme levels with the infant's birth weight. High levels of phosphocreatine kinase were found in infants of mothers with pre-eclamptic toxaemia. A single estimation of cord phosphocreatine kinase and aldolase is of little help in determining whether or not an infant has muscular dystrophy.

Variation of serum creatine kinase levels with age in normal females: implications for genetic counselling in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

We have examined the variation of creatine kinase (CK) levels with age in 206 unrelated normal females. The subjects included 75 adult women aged 15-50, 11 post-menopausal women aged 50-70 and 120 girls under 15 years of age, comprising 84 girls with idiopathic epilepsy (65 pre-menarchal and 19 post-menarchal), well controlled on various anticonvulsant combinations, and 36 normal schoolgirl volunteers (28 pre-menarchal and 8 post-menarchal). Comparison of mean and variance values showed no significant difference between the CK levels in normal and epileptic girls and the data were subsequently combined. Creatine kinase levels were significantly higher in the pre-menarchal girls than in the post-menarchal girls and normal adult women. Levels were high in the first few months of life, fell during infancy and early childhood, rose rapidly in later childhood and then fell abruptly around the time of menarche. The levels then fell slowly throughout adult life but rose again after age 40. This phasic variation with age may be related to hormonal status. The use of age-specific CK ranges may have a significant effect on the carrier detection rate in Duchenne dystrophy.

Serum creatine kinase levels in normal females

Serum creatine kinase levels were determined in 75 girls (age range, one month to 15 years) and 200 normal adult women (age range, 18 to 50 years). The values ranged from 12.5 to 80 IU/1 in girls and 19 to 155 IU/1 in adult females. The SCK level appeared to increase with age from 1 to 15 years, after which the level remained fairly constant. These data should be helpful in the detection of carriers of X-linked forms of muscular dystrophy.