N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase and beta-galactosidase in the leukocytes, serum and urine of healthy subjects and patients with immunocytoma

The activity of GlcNAc-ase, GlcUA-ase and Gal-ase was determined in the leukocytes serum and urine of 23 patients with M. M., 11 patients with other neoplasms including 9 with lymphoreticular proliferative processes without associated monoclonal gammapathy. The range of normal enzyme activity was established in the investigations carried out in 45 health subjects. In the group of patients with M. M. without complications. normal activity of GlcNAc-ase, GlcUA-ase and Gal-ase was found in the leukocytes. In the group of patients with white blood cell count below 2.5 g/l and in cases after long-term treatment with Alkeran the activity of GlcNAc-ase and GlcUA-ase in the leukocytes was reduced. In the patients with M. M. the activity of GlcNAc-ase was raised in the serum and urine, and this activity was higher in cases with longer duration of the disease and more advanced pathological process. The patients with M-IgG protein showed a higher GlcNAc-ase activity in the serum and urine than those with protein M-IgA. A higher activity of GlcNAc-ase in the serum and urine than those with protein M-IgGK than in those with M-IgG gamma. In patients with M. M with renal complications the urinary activity of GlcNAc-ase was higher than in patients with M. M. without renal complications. In CLL the activity of GlcNAc-ase was found to be decreased in the leukocytes and raised in the urine. In patients with Hodgkin's disease the activity of the studied enzymes was raised in leukocytes while the results of their determinations in serum and urine were equivocal.