Butyrylcholinesterase Activity Assay

Butyrylcholinesterase (BchE, EC3.1.1.8), also known as plasma cholinesterase, pseudocholinesterase, is a serine hydrolase that is synthesized by the liver and enters the blood and is present in almost all animal tissues. BchE is structurally similar to acetylcholinesterase (AchE), but with different substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity. Compared with AchE, BchE can effectively hydrolyze larger choline esters, such as butyrylcholine and benzoylcholine, and can remove the toxic effect of nerve agents such as organophosphorus pesticides and carbamate pesticides. Studies have shown that BchE can be an important target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. BchE catalyzed the hydrolysis of butyrylcholine to choline, and the reaction of choline with disulfide p-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) to 5-merhydryl-nitrobenzoic acid (TNB). TNB has an absorption peak at 412nm, and BchE activity is calculated by measuring the absorbance increase rate at 412nm.