Abstract
1. An increase in transaminase activities in the serum and skeletal muscle from mice with hereditary muscular dystrophy was confirmed. Almost a two fold elevation of aspartate- and alanine-transaminase activities was observed in the serum of dystrophic mice. An increase of these two enzymes in the skeletal muscle was significant on a wet weight or total nitrogen basis.
2. Quantitative alterations in the transaminase enzymes of the dystrophic skeletal muscle were measured with regard to the isozyme compositions. Difference of thermostability in the enzymes of skeletal muscle homogenates between dystrophic and normal mice was also observed. No elevation of alanine-transaminase activity was observed in the dystrophic skeletal muscle following addition of a heat denatured serum, while a marked elevation was observed in the normal skeletal muscle.
