Clinical chemistry reagent kits

The assessment of liver function was performed by determining specific serum biomarkers, including aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), total cholesterol (CHO), triglycerides (TG), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL), were conducted by using clinical chemistry reagent kits (Randox Laboratories Ltd., Antrim, UK) according to the manufacturer's institutions. Plasma samples were acquired by collecting blood using EDTA tubes and then centrifuged at 1500 x g for 10 min at 4°C. The resulting supernatant was transferred into a new tube and used as a plasma sample. Determination of biochemical factors in plasma was conducted by enzyme-coupling reactions and colorimetric measurement using an automatic analyzer (Olympus AU2700, Olympus Co., Tokyo, Japan).

Samples were harvested with cardiac puncture and immediately collected into BD vacutainer TM heparin blood collection tubes. The blood samples were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 5 min at 4 °C. The serum was separated and stored at −20 °C for further analysis. The levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) in the serum were measured with clinical chemistry reagent kits (Randox Laboratories, Ltd., Antrim, UK). The free fatty acid (FFA) level in the serum was determined with a quantification kit (BioVision, Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA) according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Blood samples were collected from the hamsters with EDTA tubes and immediately centrifuged at 1,500g for 10 min. The serum was then decanted and stored at 4°C. Biochemical examinations were performed within 1 h of specimen collection. Serum levels of TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured by using clinical chemistry reagent kits (Randox Laboratories, Antrim, UK). Serum paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) activity measurement was using EnzChek^® Paraoxonase Assay Kit (Life Technologies CO., Ltd. Taipei, Taiwan). The protocol was used basically according to the manual of the kit. First 10 µl of each serum sample was added into 50 µl of reaction buffer in a plate prewarmed to 37°C. Then 50 µl of paraoxonase substrate working solution was added and the mixture was transferred to a fluorescence microplate reader set to 37°C. The plate was read using excitation at 360 nm and emission at 450 nm immediately. The collection data was calibrated and analyzed using the standard curve assay suggested by the kit manual.