Butyrylcholinesterase and C5+ variant in a Javanese ethnic group in Indonesia

This study was designed to investigate the butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and C5 variant phenotypes in a Javanese ethnic group in Indonesia. BLOOD-DONORS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: Random blood samples from a Javanese ethnic group were obtained from the Indonesian Red Cross Service. The donors were 40.09 +/- 9.53 years old, consisting of 358 (89.45%) males and 42 females (10.55%). The plasma content of BChE was determined spectrophotometrically using benzoylcholine as substrate, and phenotyping of BChE was performed using the inhibitors 10 microM dibucaine and 50 microM sodium fluoride. Phenotyping of the C5+ variant was carried out by means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using a 7.5% (w/v) acrylamide slab gel and a 3% (w/v) acrylamide stacking gel, and stained with fast red azo dye.

The results show that of 398 samples studied, the average activities of BChE are 1.00 +/- 0.22 U/ml. 377 individuals (94.72%) show normal activities, whereas 21 individuals (5.78%) are below normal (< 0.690 U/ml). The mean +/- SD of dibucaine number (DN) is 83 +/- 5 and the fluoride number (FN) is 66 +/- 6. From this population we identified one individual with UA phenotype (total activity: 0.310 U/ml, DN: 62, and FN: 50). The frequency of C5+ variant in the population as detected by acrylamide electrophoresis is 21%.

Our data indicate that the atypical allele of BChE is rare and that the C5+ variant is detected in high frequency in the ethnic Javanese of Indonesia.