Effect of growth hormone on the activity of some lysosomal enzymes in neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes of hypopituitary dwarfs.

Elevated activities of beta-D-glucuronidase, myeloperoxidase, and lysozyme were found in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) of both hypopituitary dwarfs and normal subjects after the administration of growth hormone (GH), as compared to the activities in PMNs from blood drawn immediately before the administration of GH. During in vitro incubation, GH was able to inhibit the release of lysosomal enzymes from resting PMNs. This inhibition may be one of the reasons for the elevated lysosomal enzyme activities observed in PMNs after the administration of GH. GH can also affect hexose monophosphate shunt (HMPS) activity and superoxide production by PMNs. The activity of HMPS is stimulated by GH in resting PMNs, while in PMNs incubated with zymosan the GH inhibits both HMPS and superoxide production.

Lysosomal enzymes and superoxide production in polymorphonuclear leukocytes of patients with primary varicose veins.

In order to clarify the role of reactive oxygen species and lysosomal enzymes in the etiopathogenesis of varicose veins, the investigation of their activities in serum and peripheral neutrophils of 17 patients with primary varicose veins was done. The mean activities of acid phosphatase, beta-D-glucuronidase (BDG) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase were higher in serum of patients with varicose veins than in serum of normal subjects. However, the mean BDG activity was lower in the patients' neutrophils and the activities of elastase and myeloperoxidase were higher than in clinically healthy persons. No changes have been observed in the lysozyme activity. The neutrophils of patients with varicose veins had a greater ability to increase superoxide production after their stimulation with opsonized zymosan or phorbol myristate acetate than the neutrophils of normal subjects, while no differences were found in the total reduction of iodonitrotetrazolium (INT) incubated with these leukocytes. The results may represent another piece of evidence suggesting the activation and involvement of neutrophils in pathogenesis of chronic venous insufficiency of lower limbs.

[The influence of climatic treatment on INT-reductase activity in leukocytes of patients with asthma bronchiale (author's transl)]. / Einfluss der klimatischen Behandlung auf die INT-Leukozytenreduktaseaktivität bei Patienten mit Asthma bronchiale.

The mean values of INT-reductase in nonstimulated (nonphagocytising) polymorphs as well as in polymorphs stimulated by zymosan were higher in patients with asthma bronchiale than in a group of clinically healthy volunteers of the same age. The activities of INT-reductase in the leukocytes of patients with asthma bronchiale decreased during a climatic treatment in the high mountain conditions of Strbské Pleso (altitude 1,350 m) and after 3-5 weeks of treatment they reached the normal values ascertained in healthy volunteers. When the climatic treatment ended and the patients returned back to Bratislava, the ability of their leukocytes to reduce INT gradually increased to the levels which were found before the treatment. The changes in the activity of INT-reductase are statistically significant and may be used as an objective criterion for the control of climatic treatment and for its rational dosage.

[The effects of a short-lasting hyperthermia on the levels of complement and lysosomal enzymes in the serum of healthy and IHD-sick subjects]. / Einfluss der kurzfristigen Hyperthermie auf das Komplement- und Lysosomenenzymniveau im Serum von Gesunden und Kranken mit ischämischer Herzkrankheit. Mit 4 Abbildungen.

A short-lasting hyperthermal stimulus (in a waterbath, until the body temperature reaches 38-38,5 degrees C) caused a drop in mean levels of hemolytic complement (CH50) and its C3 component, and an increase in lysozyme and beta-D-glucuronidase activity in the serum of healthy and IHD-sick subjects, so proving that hyperthermia has an influence of the activity of the complement system and probably labilizing effects on lysosomal membranes.

[The influence of climatic treatment on the levels of complement and some lysosomal enzymes in serum of patients with asthma bronchiale (author's transl)]. / Einfluss der klimatischen Behandlung auf das Komplementniveau and auf einige Lysosomenzyme im Serum von Patienten mit Asthma bronchiale.

It was found that the levels of CH50, C3, complement component. lysozyme, beta-D-glucuronidase, and acid phosphatase were increased in blood serum of patients with asthma bronchiale during a climatic treatment in the highmountain condition of Strbské Pleso (altitude 1,350 m). The increase of CH50 was monophasic, while the changes of other factors were biphasic--increasing at the beginning and falling down to the starting values at the end of the treatment. The changes observed are a part of the adaptation of organism to the high-mountain condition.