CARDIAC TROPONIN-T - BIOCHEMICAL, ANALYTICAL, AND CLINICAL ASPECTS

Troponin T is an important submit of troponin, a thin filament regulat ory protein of contractile muscle. Troponin T is found in the heart, a nd slow- and fast-twitch skeletal muscles. The amino acid sequence bet ween cardiac and skeletal muscle troponin T exhibits significant diffe rences. Nonisotopic immunoassays for cardiac troponin T have been deve loped and are available in Europe and the UK through Boehringer Mannhe in Corporation (BMC). Antibodies used in the cardiac troponin T assay were selected to minimize the cross-reactivity by skeletal muscle trop onin T. Therefore, very low to undetectable concentrations of cardiac troponin T are observed in serum of patients with skeletal muscle inju ry and disease. Cardiac troponin T is released into the blood followin g injury to the myocardium, such as in an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The high organ specificity of the cardiac troponin T assay allo ws for detection of minor myocardial injury. Universal approval of the cardiac troponin T assay may eventually replace conventional cardiac isoenzyme markers such as creatine kinase-MB and lactate dehydrogenase -1 isoenzymes.