Abstract
BACKGROUND: The levels and immunohistochemical localization of muscle carbonic anhydrase III (CA-III) in healthy chickens and in muscular dystrophia affected (DA) chickens show that the muscles of diseased animal undergo a progressive increase of enzyme activity. METHODS: An enzyme-linked immunoassay was used to assess the CA-III levels in the muscles and other tissues from eight normal White Leghorn chickens and in two chickens with muscular dystrophy. Immunohistochemical localization of the enzyme in the muscles of these animals was also determined. RESULTS: The levels of CA-III in the tensor fasciae latae and the superficial pectoral muscles of the DA chickens were higher than the level in normal chickens. The concentrations of CA-III in erythrocytes and plasma from diseased chickens were approximately 15-fold and 1.4-fold higher than in the normal chickens, respectively. In the superficial pectoral and the tensor fasciae latae muscles of diseased chickens, the numbers of strongly stained and weakly stained fibers were greater than that in the normal chickens. CONCLUSION: The levels of CA-III in the superficial pectoral muscle, the tensor fasciae latae muscle, plasma and erythrocytes from the chickens with muscular dystrophy were higher than found in normal chickens.