Distribution of nervous system-specific forms of enolase in peripheral tissues.

The distribution of 3 forms of rat enolase (alpha alpha, alpha gamma and gamma gamma forms), including nervous system-specific forms (alpha gamma and gamma gamma), was determined in various tissues with a sensitive enzyme immunoassay system. The brain and spinal cord contained more than 100 pmol/mg protein of the alpha alpha, alpha gamma and gamma gamma enolases. Organs such as the lungs, heart, spleen, liver, and kidney contained similarly high levels of alpha alpha enolase, but these tissues contained alpha gamma and gamma gamma enolases at levels less than 1% of the central nervous tissues. High levels of the alpha gamma (greater than 10 pmol/mg) and the gamma gamma (greater than 1.5 pmol/mg) forms were found in rectum, bladder, and uterus. In gut, major portions of the nervous system-specific forms were localized in the muscle layers. Skeletal muscle and diaphragm, which are composed of striated muscle, contained low levels of 3 forms of enolase. Megakaryocytes separated from the suspension of bone marrow contained 11.3, and 0.53 amol/cell of the alpha alpha and gamma gamma enolases, respectively, with little, if any, of the alpha gamma form.