Measurement of bone specific alkaline phosphatase in the horse: a comparison of two techniques.
Abstract: For many years total alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity in serum has been used to monitor bone metabolism in different species. However, total AP lacks bone specificity because the total activity in serum is made up of several isoenzymes, of which the liver and bone isoforms predominate. The aim of the present study was to evaluate an immunoradiometric assay for measuring bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) in horses. BAP, a specific marker of bone formation, was measured in sera from thoroughbred horses by using a previously characterised wheat germ lectin (WGL) precipitation assay and an immunoradiometric assay. The levels of immunoreactive BAP (iBAP) and WGL precipitated BAP (wBAP) were related to the serum levels of total AP and another marker of bone formation, the carboxy-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen (PICP). In horses over one year old, iBAP correlated at least as strongly with total AP as with wBAP, which suggests that the immunoradiometric assay may partially cross-react with liver alkaline phosphatase in horse serum. This possibility was supported by the observation that there was a weaker correlation between iBAP and PICP than between wBAP and PICP. These data indicate that WGL precipitation is currently the most specific method for measuring bone specific alkaline phosphatase in horses.
Publication Date: 1996-09-01 PubMed ID: 8880988DOI: 10.1016/s0034-5288(96)90093-4Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research study evaluated the accuracy of two different techniques used for measuring bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), a marker of bone formation, in horses. Findings suggested that the WGL precipitation method was the most precise technique for this process.
Introduction
- This research paper centers on the measurement of bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), a key marker of bone formation, in horses.
- For a considerable time, total alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity observed in serum had been used to monitor bone metabolism in different species.
- The challenge with using total AP for bone metabolism monitoring is that it lacks bone specificity, as it is composed of several isoenzymes predominantly from liver and bone origins.
Research Aim
- The study aimed to evaluate an immunoradiometric assay method for measuring BAP in horses.
Research Methodology
- The researchers measured BAP levels in blood sera extracted from thoroughbred horses.
- They utilized two different techniques for the measurement process – a formerly characterized wheat germ lectin (WGL) precipitation assay, and an immunoradiometric assay.
- To establish a correlation, these levels of BAP were compared with serum levels of total AP and another bone formation marker, the carboxy-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen (PICP).
Results
- The findings showed that, among horses over one-year-old, immunoreactive BAP (iBAP) correlated at least as strongly with total AP as wheat germ lectin precipitated BAP (wBAP).
- This suggested that the immunoradiometric assay might partially cross-react with the liver alkaline phosphatase in horse serum.
- The likeliness of this cross-reaction was supported by the weaker correlation observed between iBAP and PICP when compared with the correlation between wBAP and PICP.
Conclusion
- The data indicates that WGL precipitation is currently the most specific method for measuring bone specific alkaline phosphatase in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Jackson B, Eastell R, Russell RG, Lanyon LE, Price JS.
(1996).
Measurement of bone specific alkaline phosphatase in the horse: a comparison of two techniques.
Res Vet Sci, 61(2), 160-164.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0034-5288(96)90093-4 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Human Metabolism and Clinical Biochemistry, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield.
MeSH Terms
- Aging / metabolism
- Alkaline Phosphatase / blood
- Animals
- Biomarkers / blood
- Bone Development
- Bone and Bones / enzymology
- Female
- Horses / blood
- Isoenzymes / blood
- Liver / enzymology
- Radioimmunoassay / methods
- Regression Analysis
- Reproducibility of Results
Grant Funding
- Wellcome Trust
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Bradley S, Young S, Bakke AM, Holcombe L, Waller D, Hunt A, Pinfold K, Watson P, Logan DW. Long-term daily feeding of cannabidiol is well-tolerated by healthy dogs. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:977457.
- Bizarro AF, Schmidt VM, Fernandes B, Pinto M, Pereira H, Marto J, Lourenço AM. The Potential of Cannabidiol for Treating Canine Atopic Dermatitis. Vet Sci 2025 Feb 12;12(2).
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