A fluorometric method for the determination of triglycerides in nanomolar quantities.

A fluorometric assay for triglycerides in nanomole quantities is described. Glycerol is liberated from triglycerides with lipase from Chromobacter viscosum, then converted by glycerol kinase to glycerol-3-phosphate, which is oxidized by glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase, producing H2O2. The H2O2 ultimately forms a peroxidase-catalyzed fluorogen with p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. The excitation and emission wavelengths of the fluorogen are 325 and 415 nm, respectively. The assay is linear in the range 0.05-35 nmol of triglycerides using triolein as standard.