title: A spectrophotometric method for the determination of free and esterified carnitine.
abstract: We have developed a spectrophotometric assay to measure carnitine in any tissue. The test is based on the transformation of carnitine to acetyl-carnitine catalyzed by carnitine acetyltransferase. The second reaction product, reduced Coenzyme A, is converted to succinoyl-CoA by adding 2-oxoglutarate. The enzyme which catalyzes this reaction, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, reduces NAD which is followed spectrophotometrically. Via external standards the carnitine concentration can be determined. In a detailed study we proved the reproducibility, precision and specificity of the assay and its correspondence with the radiochemical test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Wuerzburg, FRG.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reichmann
mesh_terms: D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism; D002331:Carnitine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002332:Carnitine O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D003065:Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism; D004951:Esterification; D006801:Humans; D007655:Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011786:Quality Control; D013053:Spectrophotometry
chemical_list: D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids; D009243:NAD; C012046:succinyl-coenzyme A; D007655:Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Complex; D002332:Carnitine O-Acetyltransferase; D002331:Carnitine; D003065:Coenzyme A