Species variation in the specificity of cholinesterases in human and rat blood samples

Acetylthiocholine iodide (ATC) as a common substrate in the combined assay of red blood cell cholinesterase (RBC ChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) do not provide the accurate individual enzyme activities. Hence, in the present study the two enzyme activities in the same sample were assayed with the help of two different substrate, ATC and butyrylthiocholine iodide (BTC). Specificity of BTC towards BuCHE was found in blood, plasma and serum, while ATC is nonspecifically hydrolysed by both RBC ChE and BuChE. ATC gives significantly higher enzyme activity (P < 0.001) in rat plasma/serum and significantly lower enzyme activity (P < 0.0001; P < 0.001) in human plasma/serum. The possible reasons are discussed for substrate specity in various species in the assay of ChEs.