Selective inactivation of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes with ionic surfactants

Ionic surfactants selectively inactivate porcine lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzymes in 30 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.4. The cationic surfactants hexadecylpyridinium bromide and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide rapidly inactivate LDH isoenzymes containing the B subunit; inactivation of LDH-A4 is slower and also retarded by the cofactor reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The anionic surfactants sodium decyl sulfate and sodium dodecyl sulfate rapidly inactivate LDH isoenzymes containing the A subunit; inactivation of LDH-B4 is much slower and retarded by the cofactor. The selectivity of the inactivation process correlates with electrostatic interactions: positively charged surfactants preferentially inactivate isoenzymes containing a subunit of net negative charge, and negatively charged surfactants preferentially inactivate isoenzymes containing a subunit of net positive charge. Inactivation takes place near the critical micelle concentration for the cationic surfactants. Inactivation with anionic surfactants occurs above the critical micelle concentration. The cationic surfactants show little discrimination among LDH-B4 and the hybrid isoenzymes, AB3, A2B2, and A3B, inactivating all at approximately the same surfactant concentration. The anionic surfactants, however, show a more graded inactivation-concentration profile with discrete differences in threshold surfactant concentrations required for complete inactivation of the four A subunit containing isoenzymes. At a particular surfactant concentration, loss in activity can be correlated with the percent A- or B-subunit composition of the isoenzyme.