A sensitive fluorescent assay for N-acetyltransferase activity in human lymphocytes from newborns and adults

We have developed a simplified assay for the enzyme N-acetyltransferase, based upon the loss of fluorescence after acetylation of the substrate p-aminobenzoic acid. This method is sufficiently sensitive to permit the quantitation of N-acetyltransferase activity in 10(5) human lymphocytes. Using this method, we have compared the level of N-acetyltransferase activity in lymphocytes from adult peripheral blood and from cord blood samples.