Aspartate transaminase (AST) also called serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) or aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT/AAT) (EC 2.6.1.1) is similar to alanine transaminase (ALT) in that it is another enzyme associated with liver parenchymal cells.

It facilitates the conversion of aspartate and alpha-ketoglutarate to oxaloacetate and glutamate.

Two isoenzymes are present in humans. They have high similarity.

• GOT1, the cytosolic isoenzyme derives mainly from red blood cells and heart.
• GOT2, the mitochondrial isoenzyme is predominantly present in liver.

It is raised in acute liver damage. It is also present in red blood cells and cardiac muscle.

AST was defined as a biochemical marker for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in 1954. However the use of AST for such a diagnosis is now redundant and has been superseded by the cardiac troponins.^[1]

AST / ALT is commonly measured clinically as a part of a diagnostic liver function test, to determine liver health. This is because of hepatic deficiency of pyrodoxal-6-phosphate in alcoholics, which is a cofactor for the enzymatic activity of ALT.

• Acute hepatitis
• Alcoholic hepatopathy
• Cholangitis
• Cholestasis
• Chronic active hepatitis
• Cirrhosis
• Dermatomyositis
• Drugs
  • Amoxicillin
  • Anidulafungin
  • Artemether and lumefantrin
  • Asparaginase Erwinia Chrysanthemi
  • Asenapine maleate
  • Axitinib
  • Aztreonam
  • Bicalutamide
  • Cefadroxil
  • Cefepime
  • Cefotaxime sodium
  • Cefprozil
  • Ceftazidime
  • Cladribine
  • Crizotinib
  • Desmopressin
  • Doxorubicin Hydrochloride
  • Idelalisib
  • Indinavir
  • Interferon gamma
  • Ivacaftor
  • Lamivudine
  • Lincomycin Hydrochloride
  • Meropenem
  • Niacin
  • Pralidoxime
  • Ritonavir
  • Ruxolitinib
  • Streptozocin
  • Vedolizumab
• Epstein-Barr Virus
• Fatty liver
• Hepatic tumor
• Hypothyroid myopathy
• Infliximab
• Malignant hyperthermia
• Malignancy
• Myocardial Infarction
• Myositis
• Open heart surgery
• Perimyocarditis
• Polymyositis
• Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Progressive myodystrophia
• Pulmonary Embolism
• Renal infarction
• Seizure
• Severe muscle trauma
• Spasms, muscle injuries
• Strong physical work

• Kuramitsu S, Okuno S, Ogawa T, Ogawa H, Kagamiyama H (1985). “Aspartate aminotransferase of Escherichia coli: nucleotide sequence of the aspC gene”. J. Biochem. 97 (4): 1259–62. PMID 3897210.CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)

• Kondo K, Wakabayashi S, Yagi T, Kagamiyama H (1984). “The complete amino acid sequence of aspartate aminotransferase from Escherichia coli: sequence comparison with pig isoenzymes”. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 122 (1): 62–7. PMID 6378205.CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)

• Inoue K, Kuramitsu S, Okamoto A, Hirotsu K, Higuchi T, Kagamiyama H (1991). “Site-directed mutagenesis of Escherichia coli aspartate aminotransferase: role of Tyr70 in the catalytic processes”. Biochemistry. 30 (31): 7796–801. PMID 1868057.CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)

• Aspartate+Transaminase at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

de:Aspartat-Aminotransferase it:Aspartato transaminasi fi:Aspartaattiaminotransferaasi sv:Aspartataminotransferas