Measurements of glutathione S-transferase B1 in plasma after birth asphyxia: an early indication of hepatocellular damage.

Concentrations of glutathione S-transferase (glutathione transferase; EC 2.5.1.18) B1 and B2 subunits (B1 and B2) and activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT; EC 2.6.1.2) were measured in sequential plasma samples taken from 14 infants with birth asphyxia. Within 6 h of asphyxia, abnormal concentrations of B1 were found in 11 infants, whereas only seven infants showed abnormal ALT activities at this time. In plasma sampled 24 h after birth, values for ALT were abnormal in 10, whereas values for B1 were abnormal in six. Abnormal concentrations of B2 were found in relatively few of these infants, apparently because this monomer is poorly expressed in liver samples obtained up to 41 weeks after conception. We conclude that measurement of B1 may provide a useful index of hepatic impairment in birth-asphyxiated infants.