Tissue distribution, developmental profiles and effect of denervation of enolase isozymes in rat muscles

The tissue distribution of muscle-type alpha beta and beta beta enolases in rats were determined with the sandwich-type enzyme immunoassay method which utilized the purified antibodies specific to the alpha and to the beta subunit of enolase, and beta-D-galactosidase from Escherichia coli as label. All the tissues examined contained detectable levels of both alpha beta and beta beta enolases. The beta beta enolase was found at high levels in the skeletal muscle tissues (tongue, esophagus, diaphragm and leg muscles) and in the cartilages (xipoid process and auricular cartilage). The alpha beta enolase was distributed at a relatively high concentration in the heart and in the above-mentioned tissues. The beta beta enolase in the leg muscles, diaphragm and tongue was present on the day of birth at a concentration higher than that of the alpha alpha and alpha beta enolases, and its concentration further increased in a manner apparently related to the functional state of each tissue. Denervation of the leg muscles by cutting the sciatic nerve in adult rats resulted in a drastic change in the isozymes profile. The concentration of beta beta enolase in the tibialis anterior gastrocnemius lateralis and extensor digitorum longus (about 800 pmol/mg protein) decreased to about a half in a few weeks after denervation. In contrast, the concentrations of alpha alpha (2 pmol/mg) and alpha beta (80 pmol/mg) usually showed a slight increase by the treatment (alpha alpha, 7 pmol/mg; alpha beta, 100 pmol/mg after 2 weeks). As compared with these three muscles, the soleus had normally a low enolase level and the effect of denervation was less drastic. These results seem to suggest that the concentration of beta beta enolase is closely correlated with the functional state of the muscle tissue.