Stability and electrophoretic characteristics of creatine kinase BB extracted from human brain and intestine

Creatine kinase (CK; EC 2.7.3.2) isoenzyme BB extracted from brains of rats reportedly undergoes modification at 37 degrees C, leaving an electrophoretic variant that accounts for most of the residual CK activity. This variant, called CK-BB', migrates on electrophoresis similarly to creatine kinase isoenzyme MB. Using electrophoresis and immunoinhibition with antiserum to creatine kinase isoenzyme MM, we found CK-BB to be the only identifiable cytoplasmic isoenzyme in surgical samples from human brain and intestine. In contrast, we found that some samples of brain obtained at autopsy contain CK-BB'. We also found that CK-BB extracted from human brain was converted to CK-BB' upon incubation in serum or plasma at 37 degrees C. We found a similar development of CK-BB' in incubation mixtures of serum or plasma containing CK-BB obtained from surgical samples of human intestine. The development of CK-BB' during infarction of the gastrointestinal system may thus be a source of false-positive CK-MB in the laboratory verification of myocardial infarction when electrophoresis is used as the only method to identify CK isoenzymes.     

A "column-batch" method for separating MB and LD1 in a single fraction

In this "column-batch" method for separating the MB and BB isoenzymes of creatine kinase and the LD1 isoenzyme of lactate dehydrogenase, one can, alternatively, separate MB from BB or obtain a combined fraction containing MB, BB, and LD1. The principal advantage is that the resulting fractions are twofold as concentrated as was the applied sample. Thus, activity can be measured by conventional automated methods, with no need for the modifications to compensate for diluted fractions that are required by other ion-exchange methods. Another advantage is the total absence of interference by the MM isoenzyme. A strong anion exchanger (AG-MP1, Bio-Rad) is used in the acetate form at pH 6.3. There is no retention of MM; retained MB, BB, and LD1 are eluted with a solution of magnesium acetate. Results are compared with those obtained for subunit B and LD1 by immunoinhibition. Results with patients are considered consistent with myocardial infarction if MB exceeds 20 U/L and 3% of the total CK and LD1 exceeds 130 U/L or 28% of the total LD activity.     

Use of creatine kinase MB isoenzyme for diagnosing myocardial infarction when total creatine kinase activity is high

The usefulness of measuring creatine kinase MB isoenzyme for diagnosing myocardial infarction when activities of total creatine kinase are very high is unclear. We conducted a retrospective study in an urban hospital that serves a largely indigent population. We concentrated on 146 patients whose creatine kinase activity was greater than 1000 U/L (upper limit of normal: 165 U/L for women and 225 U/L for men), with MB isoenzyme greater than 10 U/L and less than 5% of total creatine kinase. The positive predictive value of MB isoenzyme (isoimmune method) values greater than 10 U/L was between 11.6% and 56.8% when the value for total creatine kinase exceeded 1000 U/L. Using different values (MB greater than 4% of total creatine kinase) as positive for myocardial infarction would have resulted in far fewer false-positives, but 10 cases of myocardial infarction would have been missed. The most appropriate cutoff value for MB isoenzyme in this population (total creatine kinase greater than 1000 U/L) was found to be greater than 2% of total creatine kinase.     

Creatine kinase isoenzymes in human cerebrospinal fluid and brain

Extracts of normal brains obtained at autopsy and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with global brain ischemia were analyzed for creatine kinase (CK; EC 2.7.3.2) isoenzymes. We used both qualitative and quantitative assays (electrophoresis and immunoinhibition). Brain extracts contained CK-BB isoenzyme and mitochondrial CK. In 54 CSF samples free of blood contamination and with total activities ranging from 7 to 2010 U/L (mean 202 U/L), virtually all of the CK activity was due to CK-BB, and none to CK-MM or CK-MB. We conclude that brain contains CK-BB and mitochondrial CK, but lacks CK-MM and CK-MB. After cardiac arrest, CK-BB is released into the CSF. Any CK-MM in the CSF is probably from blood contamination, in which case immunoinhibition with anti-CK-M antibodies accurately quantifies CK-BB.     

Clinical effectiveness of the Du Pont aca measurement of creatine kinase MB in serum from patients in a coronary-care unit

We evaluated the clinical effectiveness of measuring creatine kinase (CK; EC 2.7.3.2) isoenzyme MB and lactate dehydrogenase (LD; EC 1.1.1.27) isoenzymes in diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. We used an agarose electrophoresis method to measure CK and LD isoenzymes and the Du Pont aca column method to measure CK-MB. Serial blood specimens were drawn from 100 patients consecutively admitted to our Coronary Care Unit. Because of the low diagnostic specificity for CK-MB measurements by both agarose electrophoresis and the discrete-analysis method, as compared with reported values, we re-evaluated our isoenzyme data by using Receiver Operating Characteristic curves. Such analysis of the data established optimal decision levels of greater than or equal to 25 U/L and greater than or equal to 18 U/L plus greater than or equal to 6% of total CK for serum CK-MB measured by the agarose electrophoresis and the aca methods, respectively, and an optimal decision level of greater than or equal to 0.92 for the ratio of LD 1/2 measured after agarose electrophoresis. At these decision levels we obtained a sensitivity of 100%, 100%, and 95% and a specificity of 94%, 92%, and 90% for CK-MB (agarose electrophoresis), CK-MB (aca), and the LD 1/2 ratio, respectively.     

Detection of cardiac-specific creatine kinase isoenzyme in sera with normal or slightly increased total creatine kinase activity.

We describe a spectrophotometric kinetic assay for detecting creatine kinase MB isoenzyme activity in the 1 to 10 U/liter range. The MB isoenzyme was isolated [Clin. Chem. 20, 36 (1974)] and assayed (Rosalki method) with an Abbott ABA-100. Good reproducibility was demonstrated for MB isoenzyme activities near 1 U/liter (CV = 2.6%). Sera with normal or slightly increased total creatine kinase activity were evaluated. Sera of 14 patients with acute myocardial infarction contained, per liter, 84 to 236 U of total creatine kinase activity and 4.6 to 28.0 U of isoenzyme MB activity; corresponding ranges for sera from healthy lab technicians and patients with noncardiac disease were 36 to 277 and 0 to 2.6 U. MB isoenzyme activity for infarction patients rose and fell sharply within three days after the infarction. Atypical time-course patterns, MB isoenzyme activity remaining abnormally great for five days, were observed in serum from patients with prolonged atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy; the BB isoenzyme (1 to 5 U/liter) was also detected in sera of such patients but was absent in sera from infarcation patients. Quantification of column-isolated MB by the assay described is rapid, easy, specific, and extremely sensitive for measuring MB in the 1 to 10 U/liter range.     

A sensitive bioluminescent immunoinhibition test for CK-B subunit activity and a CK-MB specific ELISA compared: correlation with agarose electrophoresis and influence of CK-isoenzyme profile on results

Searching for alternatives to the imprecise spectrophotometric tests for low-concentration creatine kinase (EC 2.7.3.2) isoenzyme MB (CK-MB), we investigated the analytical performance of two potentially superior approaches--a bioluminescent immunoinhibition assay (I, LKB-Wallac) and an ELISA (enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay) technique (II, Hybritech)--in comparison with an electrophoretic method (III, Beckman). Only I showed good between-day precision (CV 8.3%) at the upper reference limit, allowing reproducible assay of CK-B subunit activity down to at least 3 U/L. In conditions where CK isoenzyme assays remained unaffected by CK-MM concentrations, test results were proportional to the amount of CK-MB in the sample up to at least 50 U/L for I, 120 micrograms/L for II, and 100 U/L for III (r greater than 0.998 by linear regression analysis). For CK-MB-positive samples, the data by I correlated more closely with values by III (n = 24; r = 0.994) than did results by II (n = 15; r = 0.909), but both methods were equally effective in discriminating between samples with or without electrophoretically supranormal CK-MB activity (93% sensitivity). II was entirely CK-MB specific, whereas CK-B activity by I was consistently (18/18) increased in CK-MB-negative samples containing CK-BB (n = 6; r = 0.996) or macro CK, types 1 or 2 (n = 12; r = 0.930). I is highly sensitive for screening for increased non-MM CK activity, the nature of which should be subsequently clarified by electrophoresis.     

Creatine kinase isoenzyme MB determination on the ACA: dependence on serum matrix and other effectors

Creatine kinase isoenzyme MB catalytic activities in human serum, determined by ACA ion exchange chromatography and immunoinhibition, differ significantly, the correlation coefficient being 0.88. The reasons for this variation are interference of antibodies with the creatine kinase B subunit in the immunoinhibition assay, nonreproducible elution of creatine kinase isoenzyme MB from the ion exchange resin in the ACA pack, due to varying protein concentrations in the serum samples and increasing elution of creatine kinase isoenzyme MM from the ion exchange column caused by a preceding partial inactivation of creatine kinase isoenzyme MM. Pretreatment of serum samples with a solution containing magnesium sulphate, maleate and 2-oxoglutarate (solution A) prior to determination of creatine kinase isoenzyme MB catalytic activities on the ACA significantly improves the sensitivity and specificity of the method; the correlation coefficient for the values from the ACA and immunoinhibition then becomes 0.92. Dilution of serum samples with bovine serum albumin solution is now practicable.     

Transient creatine kinase-BB activity in serum or plasma after cardiac or respiratory arrest

We studied the transient appearance of creatine kinase (EC 2.7.3.2) isoenzyme BB, as measured by electrophoresis, in serum or plasma from 19 patients who had just experienced cardiac or respiratory arrest. Creatine kinase BB activity was greatest 0.5 to 3 h after the arrest, with values (measured at 30 degrees C) ranging from 3 to 27 U/L (mean, 7.8 U/L) in 18 patients who were successfully resuscitated. Elimination time for the isoenzyme ranged from 8 to 48 h (mean, 20 h). Elimination t1/2 varied from 4.6 to 16 h for 13 patients from whom adequate serial blood specimens were obtained. We could find no correlation between peak BB activity and eventual case outcome. We attribute this to the near impossibility of drawing a blood specimen exactly when the isoenzyme activity peaks, the instability of creatine kinase BB activity at 37 degrees C, and the fact that nine of these patients died after second or multiple arrests.     

Serum creatine kinase isoenzyme MB activity: Evaluation of a kit employing agarose-gel electrophoresis with overlay paper fluorescence scanning

A commercial kit for determining serum creatine kinase isoenzyme MB activity was evaluated. The kit employed agarose-gel electrophoresis followed by incubation of overlay paper on the agarose and then fluorescence scanning of the paper. Within-day coefficients of variation ranged from 24.9% for a specimen with no elevation of MB activity to 6.6% for a specimen with moderately elevated MB activity. The kit appeared to demonstrate MB in all sera and showed higher than expected values in recovery studies. The kit performed in a relatively linear fashion from 50 to 500 I.U./1 total creatine kinase activity. Hemolysis appeared to lower measured MB. For comparison with another method, specimens were also analyzed by microcolumn chromatography, which was found to incompletely separate isoenzymes. The kit produced lower values than microchromatography for specimens with low MB activities and higher values for specimens with elevated MB activities. Patients without corroborative evidence of myocardial injury showed a somewhat hyperbolic relationship between per cent MB and total creatine kinase activity, but MB activity was generally 4 I.U./1 or less. Although the kit had serious laboratory shortcomings, it may be as clinically useful as other methodologies.     

At what level of serum total creatine kinase activity can measurement of serum creatine kinase MB isoenzyme activity be omitted in suspected myocardial infarction?

The purpose of this study was to establish a discriminatory limit for serum total creatine kinase activity (CK activity) below which CK isoenzyme fractionation is unnecessary. We looked at 2610 serum samples from 1077 consecutive patients with suspected acute myocardial infraction (AMI). The CK activity was determined according to the Scandinavian recommended method. Isoenzymes of CK were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis, followed by fluorometric scanning. When the threshold for CK activity was 150 U/l, none of the samples had a creatine kinase MB isoenzyme activity (CK-MB activity) equal to or higher than 30 U/l (the diagnostic level), which has been found to differentiate between patients with AMI and those without AMI. Only 14 patients (1.3% of all patients investigated) had CK-MB activity peaks between 10 U/l (detection limit) and 30 U/l. Of these, AMI was only diagnosed in one. We recommend that CK-MB activity should be measured only when CK activity is higher than 150 U/l. This would make about 50% of all CK-MB measurements unnecessary.     

Analytical and clinical evaluation of creatine kinase MB mass assay by IMx: comparison with MB isoenzyme activity and serum myoglobin for early diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

We analytically and clinically evaluated Abbott's IMx assay for creatine kinase (CK) isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) in serum. Over a 1-year period, the method was more specific but less precise than catalytic isoenzyme measurements by electrophoresis or immunoinhibition. Sera from different individuals without electrophoretic evidence of CK-MB but containing macro CK type 1 (n = 20), mitochondrial CK (n = 5), or CK-BB (n = 5) were scored as CK-MB negative by the IMx. Likewise, CK-MB-negative by the sera remained so after addition of purified human CK-MM (< or = 7600 U/L) or CK-BB (< or = 8100 U/L). For 39 patients admitted for suspicion of uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction (precordial pain for < or = 4 h), the diagnostic performance of the IMx CK-MB assay on admission and 4 h later was superior to that of total CK activity and compared well with that of CK-MB activity measured by electrophoresis or immunoinhibition. An admission, myoglobin showed a higher diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value than did CK-MB and was the most informative test. Diagnostic performance on admission and 4 h later was further improved by considering positivity for myoglobin and for CK-MB by IMx and for the change in each over the first 4 h of hospitalization as criteria. Twelve hours after admission, diagnostic performance was further improved for all CK and CK-MB methods but began to decline for myoglobin.     

Creatine kinase B-subunit activity in serum after immunoinhibition of M-subunit activity.

Creatine kinase (EC 2.7.3.2) B-subunit activity in serum may be routinely measured as residual activity after specific immunoinhibition of the M-subunit. We assessed the inhibition kinetics, specificity, completeness of inhibition, and inhibitory capacity of three different anti-M preparations, with use of isolated human BB, MM, and MB isoenzymes. The Scandinavian-recommended reaction system was used. We suggest a set of tentative quality requirements for anti-M for use in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction. The need to measure and subtract sample residual adenylate kinase activity was demosntrated. We describe a routine photometric method for determining B-subunit activity in serum. With the Scandinavian CK method the upper reference value for total creatine kinase in serum was found to be 150 U/L for women, 270 U/L for men. By bioluminescence, we found the upper reference value for B-subunit activity to be 6 U/L for both sexes. We discuss three different modes for applying B-subunit determinations to the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.     

Preparation and stability of a liquid creatine kinase isoenzyme control from rabbit serum.

The MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase (CK) may be prepared in vitro from rabbit serum containing only the MM and BB isoenzymes, by means of a hybridization technique. The MM and BB dimers dissociate in 4 mol/L urea, which allows random recombination of M and B monomers. A liquid CK-isoenzyme control can be made from mixtures of rabbit sera obtained after hybridization and stabilized with glycerol and 25 mmol of 2-mercaptoethanol per liter. A liquid control stored at 4 degrees C showed good stability over a three-month period, declining to a mean residual activity of CK of approximately 90% after three weeks and a mean residual activity of MM, MB, and BB of 80--85% after six weeks. At 25 degrees C, CK activity of the liquid control declined to 75--80% after the fourth week. CK-BB at 25 degrees C was the least stable isoenzyme, declining to 75% after the third week and reaching 60% of activity after 12 weeks. CK-MB and CK-MM showed approximately 10--15% less stability at 25 degrees C than at 4 degrees C.     

New manual and automated method for determining activity of creatine kinase isoenzyme MB, by use of dithiothreitol: clinical applications.

The method is based on the selective activating capacity of dithiothreitol on creatine kinase isoenzyme MB, after isoenzyme MM is activated by glutathione. Isolated isoenzymes MM and MB of human and canine origin were assayed individually and in mixtures of known activities. When glutathione was present in the assay medium the activity of each isoenzyme could be measured individually, but glutathione did not activate isoenzyme MB if it was present in a mixture with MM. Dithiothreitol, added to the serum before assay, activated the isoenzyme MB in the mixture. Values for MB activities obtained for isolated isoenzyme MB and for the isoenzyme mixture after dithiothreitol was added averaged 110 and 111 U/liter, respectively (r = 0.998; y = 1.007 x + 0.298; n = 10). In the serum of 40 patients with documented acute transmural myocardial infarction, the mean proportion of isoenzyme MB activity measured in this way was 5.5% (coefficient of variation, 7.7%). Isoenzyme MB activities measured by use of dithiothreitol compared well with those obtained by conventional electrophoresis/spectrophotometry (r = 0.998; y = 1.09x -0.65) and spectrofluorometry (r = 0.996; y = 1.10 x + 0.80). The assay of MB activity by the dithiothreitol method was automated, by use of an Abbott Bichromatic Analyser and a Calbiochem Super-Stat Pack Kit. In 60 isoenzyme MB determinations the manual and automated method correlated well (r = 0.990; y = 1.0x -1.36). The simplicity of isoenzyme MB determination by use of dithiothreitol and its ease of automation allow routine monitoring of the isoenzyme activity in patients with ischemic heart disease.     

Improved column method for separating lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes 1 and 2

Lactate dehydrogenase (LD) isoenzymes 1 and 2 in human serum were separated on a column of diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex. Samples layered on mini-columns were eluted with buffered sodium chloride (100, 150, and 200 mmol/liter). Lactate dehydrogenase activity in column effluents was measured by the Wacker method, and their isoenzyme content was evaluated by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. Results for column-fractionated LD-1 and LD-2 were expressed in two ways: LD-1/LD-2 ratios and total LD-1 + LD-2 activities. The former is a more specific indicator of myocardial infarction than the latter. Sera from 10 patients with acute myocardial infarction (increased creatine kinease isoenzyme MB activity) exhibited ratios in the range of 0.92 to 1.56, ratios for 10 patients without heart disease (normal creatine kinase MB) ranged from 0.33 to 0.69.     

Creatine kinase isoenzyme MB assay by electrophoresis

A method for determination of the creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) is reported: separation of the isoenzymes was done by electrophoresis and the activity of the isoenzyme bands quantitated by scanning fluorometry. Total CK activity was used for calculation of CK-MB level. The precision of the method was satisfactory: coefficient of variation 5-10%. Its accuracy good: CK-MB was consistently found in high concentrations in tissue extracts of myocardium, but was virtually absent in skeletal muscle and could not be demonstrated in serum from patients with skeletal muscle damage. The sensitivity of the method fitted its clinical use: CK-MB was undetectable (less than 5 U/l) in normal sera, below 30 U/l in seventy-six out of seventy-seven patients in whom the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was disproved, and above 30 U/l in all seventy-two patients with AMI according to WHO criteria. The CK-MB concentration in serum rises to a maximum about 20 h after onset of clinical symptoms of AMI and reaches baseline levels 20-30 h later. The electrophoretic CK-MB method is easy, fast and reliable and is considered as an important diagnostic test for AMI.     

Improved separation of creatine kinase cardiac isoenzyme in serum by batch fractionation.

I describe a simple, single-tube batch fractionation procedure for separating MM and MB isoenzymes of creatine kinase on a macroporous strong anion exchanger (AG MP-1, Bio-Rad Laboratories). The isoenzymes can be separated in less than 3 min, with a resulting dilution of the serum with no more than an equal volume of buffer. Without sample concentration or spectrofluorometric measurement, the procedure detects 4 U of MB isoenzyme per liter. Sensitivity is limited by the sensitivity and precision of the method of measurement. The CV for the fractionation can be held to less than 4.0% at 65 U of MB per liter. Current fractionation methods are compared to the proposed procedure. With use of a discrete analyzer (Du Pont aca) the mean MB activity in a population free of heart disease was 3.2 +/- 3.0 U/liter (range, 0 to 8 U/liter). The kinetics and stability of isolated isoenzymes are reported, indicating that advisability of storing or pre-incubating samples with mercaptoethanol.     

Determination of creatine kinase isoenzyme MB activity in serum using immunological inhibition of creatine kinase M subunit activity. Activity kinetics and diagnostic significance in myocardial infarction.

This is a new method for the determination of creatine kinase isoenzyme MB activity in serum. The method uses direct activity measurement of creatine kinase B subunit activity after blocking of CK-M subunit activity by inhibiting antibodies. The test takes no longer than 15 min. The method yields an intra-serial C.V. of 2.0-12.9%, and a C.V. from day to day of 5.5%. The detection limit is 3.4 U/l creatine kinase MB. In the 95 cases with proven myocardial infarction several types of creatine kinase MB activity kinetics could be determined. The percentage of creatine kinase MB of peak CK-total is 6-25%, with a mean of 11.1%. The amount of creatine kinase MB with respect to total CK activity after reinfarction is higher than the amount after initial infarction.     

Evaluation of a commercial immunoenzymometric assay kit for creatine kinase MB isoenzyme determination using monoclonal antibodies

A simultaneous two-site immunoenzymometric assay for creatine kinase MB determination (Hybritech Tandem-E CK-MB) using monoclonal antibodies was evaluated and compared with cellulose acetate electrophoresis using fluorometric scanning densitometry. The assay has satisfactory precision (between-day analysis gives a coefficient of variation between 2.1 and 9.4%) and is not susceptible to interference by concentrations of creatine kinase MM up to 5000 micrograms/l (3400 U/l) and creatine kinase BB up to 1000 micrograms/l (1085 U/l). The upper limit of MB isoenzyme concentration in 250 apparently healthy people was 5.5 micrograms/l. Comparison between the immunoenzymometric assay (y) and electrophoresis (x) yielded the following linear regression equation: y = 0.37x + 1.9, with a correlation coefficient of 0.828. The characteristics of the temporal kinetics of MB isoenzyme, calculated by two methods, in 49 patients with acute myocardial infarction, were nearly identical in terms of the rate of creatine kinase MB release and the time at which the peak value is obtained, but not in terms of the rate of elimination of the isoenzyme. The fractional disappearance rate of MB isoenzyme from the circulation was significantly higher if calculated with Tandem-E results rather than with electrophoresis results (-0.035 vs -0.028, p less than 0.001). Whereas in the first day after infarction immunoenzymometric assay and electrophoresis had the same clinical sensitivity for identifying patients with acute myocardial infarction, in specimens collected more than 24 hours after the onset of the chest pain, the clinical sensitivity of the immunoenzymometric method was lower. Our results show that it is still premature to draw definitive clinical conclusions from the immunoassay results.