[Isoenzymes of alanine arylamidase (AAP, EC 3.4.11.2) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP, EC 2.3.2.2) in chronic pancreatitis and pancreas neoplasm (author's transl)].

In 22 patients with chronic pancreatitis and 16 patients with pancreas neoplasms gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP) and alanine arylamidase (AAP) in serum were measured and the isoenzymes were determined by gel electrophoresis on Agar. No specific isoenzyme pattern was found for chronic pancreatic diseases in a comparative investigation with a group of 19 patients suffering from hepatobiliary diseases. Two fractions of AAP and GGTP isoenzymes were found on agar gel electrophoresis: alpha-1 and alpha-2 (GGTP between alpha-2 and beta-globulin). The alpha-1 fraction of AAP and GGTP seems to be a specific liver isoenzyme. The slower fraction of both enzymes was also found in chronic pancreatic diseases and cholestatic diseases as in neoplasms of liver, pancreas and biliary tract. Practical importance of the findings is diminished by large variation coefficients of the results. A significantly low ratio of alpha-1 to alpha-2 fraction (or beta-globulin) on electrophoresis of the isoenzymes of AAP and GGTP was found in the group with neoplasm of pancreas (especially neoplasm of the pancreas head) as compared to the group with intrahepatic cholestasis. The possible causes and diagnostic importance of the findings are discussed.