title: Assay for L-pipecolate oxidase activity in human liver: detection of enzyme deficiency in hyperpipecolic acidaemia.
abstract: A direct assay method is described for L-pipecolate oxidase. The assay uses NaHSO3 to trap the L-alpha-amino [3H]adipate delta-semialdehyde (AAS) formed as a direct reaction product of L-pipecolate oxidase from L-[3H]pipecolic acid. The adduct so formed was separated from the substrate on Dowex 50 (H+) column. The product was identified as [3H]AAS by amino acid analysis after breaking down the adduct by boiling under acidic conditions. The assay is simpler and more specific than fluorometric methods; it is also more sensitive, requiring at most 16 micrograms of liver peroxisome-enriched protein per assay. We have used this assay procedure to detect L-pipecolate oxidase in skin fibroblasts obtained from a control subject and from patients of hyperpipecolic acidaemia and Zellweger syndrome and found that this enzyme activity is present in the control, but absent or decreased in the patients with the peroxisomal disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Dental School, Baltimore 21201.
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008830:Microbodies / Q000201:enzymology; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency; D010875:Pipecolic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000201:enzymology; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D010875:Pipecolic Acids; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors; C032771:L-pipecolate dehydrogenase; C031345:pipecolic acid