The Effect of Neoglandin on the Activity of N-Acetyl-ß-D-Hexosaminidase in the Serum and Urine of Alcohol-Dependent Men.

Dietary supplementation of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in the form of a commercial drug neoglandin (containing GLA and vitamin E), in people following alcohol abuse allows bypassing of the ineffective delta-6-desaturase system involved in the transformation of linoleic acid into GLA. Determination of the activity of N-acetyl-ß-D-hexosaminidase (HEX) in the serum and urine reflects neoglandin action on the catabolism of glycoconjugates and the functioning of liver and kidneys in people following alcohol abuse. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The serum and urine were collected from men with alcohol dependence, treated (n = 31, age 33.16 ± 9.72 years) and not treated (n = 50, age 35.46 ± 11.37 years) with neoglandin. HEX activity were assayed in the supernatants by the colorimetric method, with the p-nitrophenyl derivative of sugar as substrate. RESULTS: Our study on alcoholic men not treated with neoglandin indicates a significantly higher concentration of the serum and urinary HEX activity (nKat/L) on day 1 compared to days 7, 10, 14 and 30 (p < 0.001). For days 14 and 30 (p < 0.01), the urinary HEX activity was expressed in µKat/kgCr. No significant differences were observed in the activity of serum (nKat/L) and urinary (nKat/L and µKat/kgCr) HEX in alcoholics during treatment with neoglandin compared to day 1 of neoglandin treatment. We found significantly different (p < 0.05) concentration of HEX activity (nKat/L) in serum of alcohol-dependent men treated with neoglandin compared to those not taking neoglandin on days 7, 10, 14 and 30 of treatment. The urinary concentration of HEX activity (nKat/L) on days 1, 4, 10 and 30 and HEX activity in µKat/kgCr on days 1, 4 and 7 it was significantly higher (p < 0.05) during the treatment of alcohol-dependence without the use of neoglandin as compared to alcoholics treated with neoglandin. We found a positive correlation between the amount of alcohol consumed and the urinary activity of HEX in the early phase after alcohol withdrawal and a lack of correlation between the HEX activity in serum and urine of alcohol-dependent men not treated with neoglandin. CONCLUSIONS: Neoglandin supplementation in alcoholic men significantly slows down the catabolism of glycoconjugates, thus reducing the effects of ethanol poisoning that are harmful to the kidneys. Neoglandin reduces the harmful effects of ethanol poisoning more on the kidneys than on the liver. The activity of HEX in the serum may be used in monitoring the treatment of alcoholism and whether alcohol reuse occurred during the therapy. In the early stages of alcohol withdrawal, urinary HEX activity can be used as a marker of the amount of alcohol consumed during previous alcohol abuse.

Pediatric reference data on activity of urinary N-acetyl-ß-D-hexosaminidase and its isoenzymes.

PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to establish age - dependent values of the urinary lysosomal exoglycosidases activities: N-acetyl-ß-D-hexosaminidase (HEX) and its isoenzyme A (HEX A) as well as isoenzyme B (HEX B) in healthy children and adolescents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed using a random sample of 203 healthy children and adolescents (girls=99, boys=104), aged six months to 17.9 years. The activities of HEX, HEX A and HEX B were determined by a colorimetric method. The activities of the urinary HEX and its isoenzymes were expressed in pKat/µg of creatinine (pKat/µg Cr). RESULTS: Median concentrations of urinary HEX, and its HEX A, HEX B isoenzymes in particular age groups were analyzed using ANOVA. Urinary HEX, HEX A and HEX B activities (pKat/µg Cr) were the highest in children below 3 years, in comparison to remaining age groups. There were statistically significant negative correlations between urinary HEX, HEX A as well as HEX B and age (r=-0.24, p<0.001 (HEX); r=-0.20, p<0.01 (HEX A); r=-0.26, p<0.001 (HEX B), respectively. We constructed the reference values for urinary activity of HEX, HEX A and HEX B (pKat/µg Cr) in centiles according to age, in three-year intervals. CONCLUSIONS: Reported data present, for the first time, reference values for urinary activities of HEX and its isoenzymes HEX A and HEX B in children and adolescent.

New tubular injury markers in children with a solitary functioning kidney.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to assess whether the urinary profiles of the lysosomal exoglycosidases N­acetyl­ß­hexosaminidase (HEX) and its isoenzymes A (HEX A) and B (HEX B), α-fucosidase (FUC), ß-galactosidase (GAL), α-mannosidase (MAN), and ß- glucuronidase (GLU) are useful biomarkers of tubular dysfunction in children with a solitary functioning kidney (SFK). METHODS: We measured the urinary activity of HEX, its isoenzymes HEX A, HEX B, and FUC, GAL, MAN, and GLU in 52 patients with SFK. Patients were subdivided into two groups: congenital SFK (cSFK)-unilateral renal agenesis and acquired SFK (aSFK)-unilateral nephrectomy. The reference group (RG) contained 60 healthy sex- and age-matched children. RESULTS: Urinary activity of all exoglycosidases in SFK was significantly higher than in RG (p < 0.05). There were no differences in exoglycosidase activity between cSFK and aSFK (p > 0.05). HEX and its isoenzymes HEX A and HEX B correlated negatively with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and all estimated parameters correlated positively with albumin/creatinine ratio (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Urinary activity of HEX, its isoenzymes HEX A and HEX B, and FUC, GAL, MAN, and GLU is elevated in children with SFK. Long-term follow-up studies in larger groups of children with SFK may help us to better understand their clinical significance.

Chitinase-like proteins are candidate biomarkers for sepsis-induced acute kidney injury.

Sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication of critically ill patients and leads to high mortality rates. The specificity of currently available urinary biomarkers for AKI in the context of sepsis is questioned. This study aimed to discover urinary biomarkers for septic AKI by contemporary shotgun proteomics in a mouse model for sepsis and to validate these in individual urine samples of mice and human septic patients with and without AKI. At 48 h after uterine ligation and inoculation of Escherichia coli, aged mice (48 weeks) became septic. A subgroup developed AKI, defined by serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and renal histology. Separate pools of urine from septic mice with and without AKI mice were collected during 12 h before and between 36-48 h after infection, and their proteome compositions were quantitatively compared. Candidate biomarkers were validated by Western blot analysis of urine, plasma, and renal tissue homogenates from individual mice, and a limited number of urine samples from human septic patients with and without AKI. Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, thioredoxin, gelsolin, chitinase 3-like protein 1 and -3 (CHI3L3) and acidic mammalian chitinase were the most distinctive candidate biomarkers selected for septic AKI. Both neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and thioredoxin were detected in urine of septic mice and increased with severity of AKI. Acidic mammalian chitinase was only present in urine of septic mice with AKI. Both urinary chitinase 3-like protein 1 and -3 were only detected in septic mice with severe AKI. The human homologue chitinase 3-like protein 1 was found to be more excreted in urine from septic patients with AKI than without. In summary, urinary chitinase 3-like protein 1 and -3 and acidic mammalian chitinase discriminated sepsis from sepsis-induced AKI in mice. Further studies of human chitinase proteins are likely to lead to additional insights in septic AKI.

Lysosomal exoglycosidases in serum and urine of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Lysosomal exoglycosidases: N-acetyl-ß-D-hexosaminidase (HEX), ß-D-galactosidase (GAL), α-L-fucosidase (FUC) and α-D-mannosidase (MAN) modify oligosaccharide chains of glycoconjugates in endoplasmatic reticulum and/or Golgi apparatus and degrade them in lysosomes. In acid environment of lysosome, exoglycosidases degrade oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins, glycolipids and glycosaminoglycans by eliminating single sugars from the edges of oligosaccharide chains. Neoplasms change biochemical processes in tissues and may significantly change the activity of many enzymes including the activity of lysosomal exoglycosidasses in serum and urine of persons with neoplasmatic diseases. The aim of the present paper was evaluation the activity of HEX, GAL, FUC and MAN in serum and urine of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Serum and urine samples were collected from 15 patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and 15 healthy persons. The activity of lysosomal exoglycosidases was determined by the method of Marciniak et al. adapted to serum and urine of patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Our results indicate significant decrease in activity of GAL (p=0.037) in serum of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, significant increase in activity of HEX (p<0.001) and FUC (p=0.027) in serum, and HEX (p=0.003) in urine, as well as significant decrease of FUC (p=0.016) and MAN (p=0.029) in urine o patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, in comparison to the control group. Increase in activity of some lysosomal enzymes in serum and urine of pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients, may indicate on destruction of pancreatic tissue by pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Determination of the HEX, GAL, FUC and MAN in serum and urine may be useful in diagnostics of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase and its isoenzymes A and B in blood serum and urine, as a potential colon cancer markers.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Evaluation of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase (HEX), and its isoenzymes A (HEX A) and B (HEX B) activity in blood serum and urine as potential markers of colorectal cancer. METHODOLOGY: The study was performed in blood serum and urine of 32 patients with adenocarcinoma, 6 with adenocarcinoma mucinosum of the colon, and 20 healthy people. The activity of HEX, HEX A and HEX B was determined in blood serum and urine by spectrophotometric method of Marciniak et al. The concentration of CEA was determined in blood serum by immunoenzymatic method (MEIA). The concentration of protein was assessed by the Lowry method, whereas the concentration of creatinine in urine by the Jaffe method (without deproteinization). RESULTS: A significant increase in the concentration of HEX, HEX A and HEX B activity was proved in serum and urine of patients with colon adenocarcinoma. In patients with colon adenocarcinoma mucinosum, the higher activity of HEX was revealed in blood serum compared to healthy people, and the significantly higher activity of HEX and HEX B expressed as pKat/mg of creatinine, was found in urine. We observe a significant increase in the activity of HEX, HEX A and HEX B expressed in pKat/mg of creatinine was found in urine of patients bearing tumor of diameter 6.0-7.0 cm in comparison to patients with tumor of diameter 4.0-5.0 cm. CONCLUSIONS: The present study results suggest that determination of HEX, HEX A and HEX B activity in blood serum and urine may be used to detect colon cancer in its early stages. However, the use of HEX, HEX A and HEX B activity in oncological diagnostics requires further studies on a larger group of patients.

Effect of smoking on activity of N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase in serum and urine of renal cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: To compare N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase (HEX) activity in the serum and urine of smokers as well as non-smokers with renal cancer, and healthy people. DESIGN AND METHODS: To assess hexosaminidase activity the level of p-nitrophenol released from p-nitrophenol derivatives was measured. RESULTS: The activity of enzyme was significantly higher in cancer group, with the highest activity in non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking can inhibit, by the influence on HEX activity, catabolism of oligosaccharide chains in cancer tissues.

[N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase--marker of damage to renal proximal tubules]. / N-acetylo-beta-heksozoaminidaza--marker uszkodzenia cewek nerkowych blizszych.

Cells of the renal epithelium synthesize and excrete to urine many enzymes. Among more than 50 enzymes produced by epithelial cells of proximal tubules, only few have a diagnostic value. Determination of the enzymatic activities in urine is sensitive and not invasive method for evaluation the function of renal tubules. Urinary N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase (HEX) activity is approved and practically utilized marker of the renal function. HEX is a lysosomal exoglycosidase taking part in catabolism of the sugar chains of glycoconjugates (glycoproteins, glycolipids and proteoglycans). HEX catalyses release of N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine from a non reducing ends of glycoconjugates. In urine of healthy persons activity of HEX is negligible, but significantly increases after damage to the proximal tubules. The cells of renal proximal tubules are very sensitive to hypoxia. Therefore all renal processes with hypoxia lead to dysfunction of proximal renal tubules and release HEX to urine. Increased activity of HEX in urine was found after intoxication by heavy metals, nephrotoxic drugs, contrast media, fewer, bacterial as well as immunological nephritis and hypertension, diabetes, neoplasms and during renal graft rejection. In the paper we presented review of literature concerning HEX, and its presence in renal tissue and urine, as well as application in diagnostics.

[Long-term outcomes and formation of chronic disease of the kidneys in patients with a history of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome].

AIM: To evaluate renal function, persistence of renal dysfunction and probability of chronic renal pathology in convalescents of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 370 HFRS convalescents were examined with estimation of renal functional reserve, albuminuria, uric acid clearance, activity of urine N-acetil-beta-D-hexosaminidase in the urine, 18-h deprevation test, duplex scanning of renal vessels. Correlation between prevalence of chronic renal failure in Udmurtia and HFRS incidence was analysed. RESULTS: Glomerular and tubular dysfunctions in HFRS convalescents (intraglomerular hypertension, albuminuria, regress of a concentration ability of the kidneys, impairment of tubular transport) are characterized by persistence in the presence of renal hypoperfusion and hypoexcretory hyperuricemia. 13% convalescents developed chronic disease of the kidneys (CDK) which clinically presented as chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis. HFRS may contribute to formation of population of patients with chronic renal failure in the territory of active natural foci. A significant positive correlation was registered between mean annual levels of HFRS morbidity and prevalence of chronic renal failure in different regions of Udmurtia. According to clinical data, chronic renal failure develops in patients who earlier have suffered from renal disease. CONCLUSION: Persistance of renal dysfunctions in HFRS convalescents and possible onset of chronic disease of the kidneys necessitate active follow-up of the disease convalescents.

The effect of the binge drinking session on the activity of salivary, serum and urinary beta-hexosaminidase: preliminary data.

Our report is the first to show that an acute ingestion (6 h) of a relatively large, yet tolerable dose of alcohol (120-160 g), significantly increases activity of total serum beta-hexosaminidase (total beta-HEX), beta-HEX A and beta-HEX B isoenzymes, as well as salivary total beta-HEX and urinary beta-HEX A, in eight infrequent binge drinkers. An increase in the activity of serum and urinary total HEX is mainly due to its secretory isoenzyme beta-HEX A.

Nitric oxide protection against adriamycin-induced tubulointerstitial injury.

It is well known that oxidative stress is related to the pathogenesis of adriamycin (ADR) nephropathy. However, it is unclear how nitric oxide (NO) is associated with the pathophysiological process after ADR administration. The NO level in a kidney homogenate was assayed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometry using a direct in vivo NO trapping technique after ADR administration. N-(3-(aminomethyl)benzyl)acetamidine (1400W) was used as a specific, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor. The levels of NO after ADR administration gradually increased for 6 h and then decreased until 24 h after ADR administration. The fractional excretion of Na (FE(Na)) in the urine was elevated in the ADR group on day 1. Pre-treatment of the animals with 1400W attenuated the increase in NO levels despite further elevation of FE(Na). These findings suggest that iNOS-derived NO does not produce a harmful effect but rather protects the ADR-treated kidney against sodium excretion.

Renal tubular dysfunction in schizophrenic patients treated with antipsychotic drugs.

Several factors have been considered in relation to the free radical formation in schizophrenia, such as the disease itself, drug treatment and smoking. Several chemicals and drugs may cause damage to the renal tubules by different subcellular mechanisms including oxidative stress, and the aim of our study was the investigation of tubular dysfunction in schizophrenic patients. The urinary excretion of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase (Hex) and its isoenzymes Hex A and Hex B, alpha1-microglobulin, albumin, total proteins and fractionated porphyrins were determined in 45 schizophrenic patients treated with first- and second-generation antipsychotics. In 7 patients, an increase in proteinuria of tubular origin was found, and in one as a result of mixed glomerular/tubular origin. The group of patients had a significantly higher level of excretion than the control group (n = 54) of total Hex (p < 0.001), Hex A (p < 0.05), Hex B (p < 0.001) and the relative proportion of this isoenzyme (p < 0.001). In some cases with normal levels of total Hex and urinary alpha1-microglobulin, the proportion of Hex B was already increased. Significant correlations were found for total Hex and its isoenzymes with alpha1-microglobulin (p < 0.001). Also, the porphyrins had significant correlations with total Hex (p < 0.001), Hex A (p < 0.05), Hex B (p < 0.005) and alpha1-microglobulin (p < 0.001). In the group of patients studied, it was possible to reveal early tubular cell damage (affected structural integrity) with increased excretion of Hex B, possibly mediated by free radicals, previous to the decrease in tubular reabsorption of proteins with low molecular mass filtered by the glomerulus (affected functional integrity).

Combining markers of nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity for improved monitoring and detection of chronic alcohol abuse.

BACKGROUND: Most of the commonly used markers of chronic alcohol abuse reflect alcohol hepatotoxicity; however, such abuse is deleterious to the kidneys as well. Combined use of serum markers of liver origin and urinary markers of kidney origin may be of diagnostic advantage. METHODS: The study was performed in 73 male alcoholics undergoing detoxification and 36 male alcoholics who had maintained abstinence for > or =6 weeks. Factor analysis, discriminant analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were used to assess the discriminative power of two urinary markers of alcohol nephrotoxicity, namely beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase (Hex, EC 3.2.1.52) and alanine aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.2), and of three serum markers of alcohol hepatotoxicity, namely aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1), alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT, EC 2.3.2.2), and of their quantitative combinations. RESULTS: The discriminative power of the urinary markers matched that of the serum markers. Hex and GGT appeared to be the best for discriminating the study groups. Their combination given by the equation G&H=0.62 x ln(GGT)+0.72 x ln(Hex) showed excellent discriminative ability (ROC area under the curve 0.92) that was significantly higher than that of any single marker in this report, indicating superior diagnostic accuracy of the compound marker. CONCLUSIONS: Kidney-derived urinary markers, particularly Hex, can complement or replace, if necessary, serum markers of chronic alcohol abuse that relate to alcohol hepatotoxicity. The compound marker proposed seems a promising tool for the monitoring and perhaps detection of chronic alcohol abuse and warrants further studies.

[Suspected case of pseudohypoparathyroidism type II].

We experienced a suspected case of pseudohypoparathyroidism type II. The patient came to our emergency room with no thermal convulsion. The Ellsworth-Howard test was applied to the patient to determine the type of PHP.

A comparative study of three kidney biomarker tests in autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between the progress of tubular damage and renal insufficiency in autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a subject of doubtless interest, and is the object of this present work. METHODS: A total of 92 adult ADPKD patients of both genders were studied, none of which presented end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and classified according to an ultrasound score based on kidney size and number of cysts. Urinary albumin and beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase (Hex) and its isoenzymes were determined, together with serum glutathione peroxidase, cystatin C, creatinine, and urea. RESULTS: A frequent elevation of the urinary Hex was found and an alteration of its isoenzymatic profile, with 31% of the normotensive patients with normoalbuminuria already presenting an increased proportion of Hex B isoenzyme. Keeping age constant, a partial significant correlation was found between the ultrasound score and the proportion of Hex B (r = 0.352, P < 0.05), but not with albuminuria or cystatin C. In 42 patients the different biochemical variables were again determined after 1 year, finding that in the 13 normotensive patients with normoalbuminuria there had been a significant decrease in the concentration of cystatin C (P < 0.05), and a significant increase in the urinary excretion of albumin and Hex B isoenzyme (P < 0.05). By the other hand, in the other 29 patients with micro- or macroalbuminuria and hypertension, no significant differences were found. CONCLUSION: The results point toward an important participation of tubular damage in the pathogenesis of this disease. It may also be suggested that in normotensive and normoalbuminuric ADPKD patients, a gradual increase of glomerular filtration would be produced. After the start of hypertension and microalbuminuria, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) would decrease progressively, although more slowly.

Lysosomal enzymes in preeclamptic women in northern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of preeclampsia is high in northern Nigeria, as it is in many other developing countries, and preeclampsia is associated with significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. We inquired if proteinuria or hypertension alone could account for the altered concentrations of urinary lysosomal hydrolases that have been reported in preeclamptic women and pregnant women without preeclampsia. METHODS: The activities of urinary beta-hexosaminidase and beta-galactosidase were determined fluorometrically in pregnant women assigned to one of four groups: Group I: 41 preeclamptic women; Group II: 31 hypertensive aproteinuric women; Group III: 44 normotensive proteinuric women; and Group IV: 52 healthy pregnant women (controls). RESULTS: The urinary beta-hexosaminidase concentrations were decreased in the preeclamptic women (P<0.005) and proteinuric women (P<0.001) when compared to the healthy pregnant controls. There was no significant difference in beta-hexosaminidase concentrations between the hypertensive women and the healthy pregnant controls. The urinary beta-galactosidase concentrations for preeclamptic, hypertensive, and proteinuric women did not differ significantly versus healthy pregnant controls. CONCLUSIONS: The reduced urinary excretion of beta-hexosaminidase in preeclamptic women is associated with proteinuria, but not hypertension. Measuring urinary concentrations of lysosomal hydrolases alone or in conjunction with urinary protein concentrations is not likely to be useful in predicting or monitoring the clinical course of preeclampsia; however, it might prove important in gaining a more complete understanding of the pathogenesis of renal tubular epithelial cell injury and proteinuria that occurs in preeclampsia.

[Detection of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase in urine]. / Sposob opredeleniia aktivnosti N-atsetil-beta-D-geksozaminidazy v moche.

A new modification was designed to determine the activity of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase (NAH) in biological fluids. The properties of enzyme molecules to adsorb themselves on chitin at pH 4.5 were made use of within the case study. The mean NAH activity, in urine of virtually healthy children and adults, was shown to be equal, within a span time of 1 h, to 12.8 and 22.3 mumole of formed 4-nitrophenol/per 1 mmole of creatinine. The above mean NAH parameter was, in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women, 696 nmole of 4-nitrophenol/per 1 ml in 1 h. The NAH activity was studied in renal pathologies and in delayed intrauterine development of the fetus.

Sialylation analysis of O-glycosylated sialylated peptides from urine of patients suffering from Schindler's disease by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and sustained off-resonance irradiation collision-induced dissociation.

A strategy based on Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) for screening of complex glycoconjugate mixtures containing O-linked glycopeptides and O-glycosylated amino acids with alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminyl residues is presented. To detect and identify O-glycoforms present in urine of patients suffering from hereditary N-acetylhexosaminidase deficiency (known as Schindler's disease), present at 100 times higher concentrations than in urine of healthy controls, new accurate methods for mapping and sequencing were required. In the mass spectrometric analysis particular attention has to be paid to original sialylation patterns, because of the potential lability of the sialic acid moiety during the desorption/ionization process. Negative ion nanoelectrospray ionization (nanoESI) FTICR-MS at 9.4 T is shown here to represent a method of choice for identification of single components in such complex glycomixtures due to high resolution and mass accuracy. By optimization of sustained off-resonance irradiation collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (SORI-CID-MS(2)) in the negative ion mode, the type and sequence of the sialylated glycopeptide components were determined from their fragmentation patterns. Additionally, implementation of SORI-CID-MS(3) provides detailed information for sialylation analysis. The potential diagnostic value of this approach is discussed.

Effect of partial proteolysis on the activation energy of beta-n-acetylhexosaminidase precursor and mature forms.

Using 3,3'-diclorophenolsulfoftaleinil N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide as a substrate, the apparent activation energy of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase (Hex) was determined in samples of plasma and urine, as well as in leukocyte and platelet lysates. Incubation with papain produced an increase in this thermodynamic variable for plasma Hex (precursor forms with high molecular mass) that would be caused by the proteolytic action of papain on the Hex A isoenzyme. However, digestion with papain did not significantly modify the activation energy of Hex in leukocyte and platelet lysates (mature enzymatic forms). In 11 healthy subjects and 28 patients with different renal diseases, no statistically significant differences were found with regard to the values obtained in cellular lysates for variations in the activation energy of urinary Hex, regardless of whether they presented normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria. These results support the hypothesis that even in patients with proteinuria, no significant amounts of plasma Hex precursor forms are found in urine samples, and the source of the enzyme activity is the kidney itself.

[Determination of beta-hexosaminidase and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activities in urine of pregnant women to monitor alcohol consumption]. / Oznaczanie aktywnosci beta-heksozoaminidazy oraz gamma-glutamylotranspeptydazy w moczu jako markerów spozycia alkoholu przez kobiety ciezarne - doniesienie wstepne.

BACKGROUND: Drinking of alcohol by pregnant women provokes many fetal development disorders, first of all the function of central nervous system and can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - FAS. AIM: Aims of investigation were to determine beta - hexosaminidase (HEX) and gamma - glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activity in the urine to monitoring consumption of alcohol by pregnant women in first trimester and to assess the effect of ethyl alcohol on fetus development. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 22 pregnant women, who did not declare consumption of ethanol containing drinks. The level of creatinine, GGT and HEX in urine was analysed. RESULTS: Preliminary results of our study indicate that determination of GGT and HEX activities could be useful in monitoring of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.