Objective: Enzyme amylase in humans is a digestive enzyme that acts to cleave starch into smaller carbohydrates. The iso-enzymes of amylase are salivary (S) type and pancreatic (P) type with different characteristics properties. Hyperamylasemia is a condition with increased total serum amylase activity. It is often difficult to interpret the actual defective source with a total serum amylase activity. Therefore, this study of iso-amylase patterns by electrophoretic technique aids in recognizing the correct source of origin of the enzyme amylase. Methods: A total of 80 subjects aged ranges from 20-60 years were recruited from SRM Medical College Hospital and Research center, Tamil Nadu. The subjects included were subdivided as Group 1 of 20 acute pancreatitis, Group 2 of 20 diabetes mellitus, Group 3 of 20 cholecystitis and Group 4 of 20 normal healthy subjects. Serum samples were obtained and analyzed in autoanalyzer and subjected to agarose gel electrophoresis for electrophoretic separation of isoamylase bands. Results: Total serum amylase activity was measured. Electrophoretic iso-enzyme patterns of serum amylase of normal healthy person showed a narrow band of S-type toward the anode, followed by the P-type from the point of application. Electrophoresis of sera of pancreatitis showed only a single prominent P-type band, cholecystitis sera showed a thin S-type with P-type band and diabetic sera had a broad S-type and thin P-type isoamylase bands. Conclusion: Agarose gel electrophoresis is a simple technique and can be run with minimal efforts. The isoamylase band patterns observed differentiates the source of origin of serum amylase. Thereby aids the physicians to take the next right leading step and decide necessary further investigations.
展开▼
