Isoenzymes of aspartate aminotransferase in chronic liver diseases.

The total activity and activity of the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial isoenzyme of aspartate aminotransferase was examined in blood plasma of 56 patients with chronic liver diseases (chronic hepatitis in 27, liver cirrhosis in 23, secondary neoplastic effection of the liver in 6). All the patients with biochemically active forms of liver disease manifested increased the total as well as cytoplasmic enzyme activity, as compared with control group, 57% of the patients manifested simultaneously also increased activity of the mitochondrial isoenzyme. In 13% of the patients with stabilised forms of liver diseases manifested isolated increase of the mitochondrial isoenzyme activity. This might be of importance for the evaluation of the course of the disease. In patients with tumorous metastases in the liver a strikingly high share and activity of mitochondrial isoenzyme was shown.