Patent ID: 8486650

Claim:
A method of detecting serum gamma-glutamyl transferase isoforms in a biological fluid, comprising the following steps: providing a sample of said biological fluid; providing a High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) column, said HPLC column designed to separate protein fractions according to their molecular weight; injecting the sample through the HPLC column to separate the proteins in the sample; obtaining from the HPLC column an eluate in which protein fractions are separated from each other by their specific molecular weight; wherein said protein fractions are separated from each other in such a way that any different gamma-glutamyl transferase isoforms can be associated with each protein fraction respectively; causing said protein fractions of said eluate to react in turn with a gamma-glutamyl transferase substrate from which a product can be formed that is detectable only if a respective GGT isoform in each protein fraction is present; determining in each protein fraction the presence or absence of any of said detectable product responsive to the presence or absence in each protein fraction of said respective detectable product; wherein at least one of four different gamma-glutamyl transferase isoforms is sought in said protein fractions, which correspond to respective molecular weights selected among approximately 2000, 940, 140, and 70 kDa.