Changes in activity levels and isozyme patterns of isoleucine aminotransferase in response to experimentally induced hepatic lesion.

Branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase activities were measured in rats in which hepatic lesions were induced experimentally, that is, fatty liver produced by an orotic acid-containing diet and acute hepatic lesion induced by D-galactosamine injection into the abdominal cavity. The levels of the enzyme activities, using L-isoleucine as substrate, were elevated in both cases. Among the isozymes (enzymes I, II and III) of the enzyme, the activity of enzyme I was elevated by orotic acid treatment. However, with D-galactosamine treatment, another isoleucine aminotransferase activity was chromatographically separated from that of enzyme I and is considered to be enzyme III, and not enzyme II, based on its substrate specificity.