Physicochemical Properties
| Exact Mass | 477.194 |
| CAS # | 9000-97-9 |
| Appearance | Powder form |
| Density | 1.2±0.1 g/cm3 |
| Boiling Point | 643.1±55.0 °C at 760 mmHg |
| Flash Point | 342.7±31.5 °C |
| Vapour Pressure | 0.0±1.9 mmHg at 25°C |
| Index of Refraction | 1.639 |
| Source | Porcine heart |
| LogP | 7.16 |
| HS Tariff Code | 2934.99.9001 |
| Storage | 2-8℃ |
| Shipping Condition | Room temperature (This product is stable at ambient temperature for a few days during ordinary shipping and time spent in Customs) |
Biological Activity
| ln Vitro |
This product can be used as an antigen to make anti-cAST antibodies and as a quality control substance for AST kits. Thermal stability: 30 minutes below 60°C without deactivation; pH stability: 5.0-9.5 (20°C for 24 hours); molecular weight: about 58 kDa (SDS-PAGE). Reconstitution and dilution buffer: Phosphate buffer with BSA is advised. - Enzymatic Activity: - Aspartate transaminase (AST) catalyzes the reversible transfer of an amino group between L-aspartate and α-ketoglutarate, forming oxaloacetate and L-glutamate. This reaction is critical for amino acid metabolism and energy production. The enzyme requires pyridoxal 5'-phosphate as a cofactor for activity [1] - Isoform Specificity: - Two isoforms exist: cytoplasmic (AST1) and mitochondrial (AST2). Both isoforms exhibit distinct kinetic properties and tissue distributions. AST1 is predominant in the liver, while AST2 is abundant in cardiac and skeletal muscle [1] |
| ln Vivo |
- Metabolic Role:
- AST plays a central role in the malate-aspartate shuttle, facilitating the transfer of reducing equivalents across the mitochondrial membrane in the heart and liver. It is also involved in gluconeogenesis, urea cycle, and neurotransmitter synthesis in the brain [1] - Disease Association: - Elevated AST levels in serum are diagnostic for hepatocellular injury, myocardial infarction, and skeletal muscle damage. The AST:ALT ratio >2 is characteristic of alcoholic liver disease [1,3] |
| Enzyme Assay |
- Colorimetric Activity Assay:
1. Serum or tissue homogenate is incubated with a reaction mixture containing L-aspartate, α-ketoglutarate, and NADH.
2. AST catalyzes the formation of oxaloacetate, which is further converted to pyruvate by malate dehydrogenase, consuming NADH.
3. The decrease in absorbance at 340 nm is measured spectrophotometrically to quantify AST activity. The assay detects activity ranges from 0.38–72.30 IU/L [6,7] |
| Cell Assay |
- Tissue-Specific Expression:
1. Immunohistochemical staining revealed high AST1 expression in hepatocytes and AST2 expression in cardiomyocytes.
2. Western blot analysis confirmed differential expression of AST isoforms in liver, heart, and skeletal muscle tissues [1] |
| Animal Protocol |
- Murine Model of Liver Injury:
1. C57BL/6 mice were treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄, 1 mL/kg intraperitoneally) to induce hepatotoxicity.
2. Serum AST levels were measured at 24 and 48 hours post-treatment using a commercial kit.
3. AST activity increased by 5-fold compared to vehicle controls, reflecting hepatic necrosis [1] |
| References | [1]. Aspartate aminotransferase--key enzyme in the human systemic metabolism. Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online). 2016 Mar 16;70:219-30. |
| Additional Infomation |
- Biological Function:
- AST is essential for amino acid catabolism, ammonia detoxification, and energy metabolism. It participates in the synthesis of nucleotides, neurotransmitters, and urea [1] - Clinical Utility: - AST is a key biomarker for monitoring liver and heart diseases. Elevated levels correlate with disease severity and progression [1] - Methodological Considerations: - Hemolysis and lipemia can falsely elevate AST measurements. Sulfasalazine and furosemide may interfere with assay results [1] |
Solubility Data
| Solubility (In Vitro) | May dissolve in DMSO (in most cases), if not, try other solvents such as H2O, Ethanol, or DMF with a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples |
| Solubility (In Vivo) |
Note: Listed below are some common formulations that may be used to formulate products with low water solubility (e.g. < 1 mg/mL), you may test these formulations using a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples. Injection Formulations (e.g. IP/IV/IM/SC) Injection Formulation 1: DMSO : Tween 80： Saline = 10 : 5 : 85 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO stock solution → 50 μL Tween 80 → 850 μL Saline) *Preparation of saline: Dissolve 0.9 g of sodium chloride in 100 mL ddH ₂ O to obtain a clear solution. Injection Formulation 2: DMSO : PEG300 ：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline) Injection Formulation 3: DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL Corn oil) Example: Take the Injection Formulation 3 (DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90) as an example, if 1 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can take 100 μL 25 mg/mL DMSO stock solution and add to 900 μL corn oil, mix well to obtain a clear or suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals). Injection Formulation 4: DMSO : 20% SBE-β-CD in saline = 10 : 90 [i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL (20% SBE-β-CD in saline)] *Preparation of 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline (4°C，1 week): Dissolve 2 g SBE-β-CD in 10 mL saline to obtain a clear solution. Injection Formulation 5: 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin : Saline = 50 : 50 (i.e. 500 μL 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin → 500 μL Saline) Injection Formulation 6: DMSO : PEG300 : castor oil : Saline = 5 : 10 : 20 : 65 (i.e. 50 μL DMSO → 100 μLPEG300 → 200 μL castor oil → 650 μL Saline) Injection Formulation 7: Ethanol : Cremophor : Saline = 10： 10 : 80 (i.e. 100 μL Ethanol → 100 μL Cremophor → 800 μL Saline) Injection Formulation 8: Dissolve in Cremophor/Ethanol (50 : 50), then diluted by Saline Injection Formulation 9: EtOH : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 900 μL Corn oil) Injection Formulation 10: EtOH : PEG300：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline) Oral Formulations Oral Formulation 1: Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na (carboxymethylcellulose sodium) Oral Formulation 2: Suspend in 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose Example: Take the Oral Formulation 1 (Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na) as an example, if 100 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can first prepare 0.5% CMC Na solution by measuring 0.5 g CMC Na and dissolve it in 100 mL ddH2O to obtain a clear solution; then add 250 mg of the product to 100 mL 0.5% CMC Na solution, to make the suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals). Oral Formulation 3: Dissolved in PEG400 Oral Formulation 4: Suspend in 0.2% Carboxymethyl cellulose Oral Formulation 5: Dissolve in 0.25% Tween 80 and 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose Oral Formulation 6: Mixing with food powders Note: Please be aware that the above formulations are for reference only. InvivoChem strongly recommends customers to read literature methods/protocols carefully before determining which formulation you should use for in vivo studies, as different compounds have different solubility properties and have to be formulated differently. (Please use freshly prepared in vivo formulations for optimal results.) |