Alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme pattern in human amniotic fluid is dependent on the level of total activity. Implications in cystic fibrosis diagnosis

Alkaline phosphatase activities have been examined in 500 consecutive human amniotic fluids obtained at diagnostic paracentesis between 14 and 38 wk of gestation. They were found to have a non-Gaussian, positively skewed distribution, independent of the protein concentrations. Residual activities after heat treatment or in presence of phenylalanine and levamisole allow evaluation of the placental, hepatic and intestinal isoenzyme components. It is shown that the contribution of the intestinal isoenzyme to the total activity is a linear function of the latter. This fact should be taken into account in the enzymatic diagnosis of cystic fibrosis as it is apparent that the part contributed by the intestinal isoenzyme is predictably smaller when the level of total activity is low.