We examined the sensitivity of bioluminescence for the determination of very low concentrations of creatine kinase brain-type subunit (CK-BB) in serum and in cerebrospinal fluid. To optimize the sensitivity of CK-isoenzyme assays and eliminate possible sources of error, we separated the isoenzyme fractions by using inhibiting anti-MM and precipitating anti-MM and anti-BB antibodies. The results with the bioluminescence assay correlated with spectrophotometric values such that r = 0.97 for the total CK activity and r = 0.98 for the CK-B activity. The reproducibility of the present method was comparable with the spectrophotometric method and was even better at low enzyme activities. The within-series precision for assay of total CK activity at 2 U/L corresponded to a CV of 9%; at 13 U/L the CV was 5.8%. All the assays were carried out at 25 degrees C. Even at this low temperature, CK activities as low as 0.2 U/L could be determined. In eight patients without any evidence of cerebral cell damage, total CK activity in cerebrospinal fluid was x = 1.05 +/- 0.6 U/L, and CK-BB activity was x = 0.7 +/- 0.4 U/L. In sera of these patients CK-BB activity was x = 0.6 +/- 0.5 U/L. Differences in CK and CK-BB activities in four patients with transient or progressive brain-cell damage are discussed.

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