Related Experiment Videos
Macro enzymes: prevalence, composition, detection and clinical relevance.
1Department of Hematology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Journal of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Biochemistry. Zeitschrift Fur Klinische Chemie Und Klinische Biochemie
|February 1, 1990
Summary
Macro enzymes, enzymes with high molecular weight, can cause falsely elevated serum activity, leading to incorrect diagnoses like heart attack or pancreatitis. This review covers macro enzyme forms and their lab assay interference.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Enzymology
- Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine
Background:
- Macro enzymes are enzymes with abnormally high molecular weight.
- Their presence can lead to increased serum activity or interfere with laboratory assays.
- This interference may result in false positive diagnoses for conditions such as acute myocardial infarction or pancreatitis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the various forms of macro enzymes.
- To discuss the immunoglobulins and iso-enzymes involved in macro enzyme immune complexes.
- To examine the specificity, prevalence, clinical relevance, and laboratory assay behavior of macro enzymes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of macro enzyme forms.
- Analysis of immune complex composition (immunoglobulins and iso-enzymes).
- Evaluation of diagnostic interference and clinical associations.
Main Results:
- Macro enzymes can cause falsely elevated enzyme activity in serum.
- Immune complex formation is a common mechanism for macro enzyme presence.
- Specific interactions, prevalence, and clinical relevance vary among different macro enzyme types.
Conclusions:
- Understanding macro enzyme characteristics is crucial for accurate laboratory diagnostics.
- Recognition of macro enzymes prevents misdiagnosis of critical conditions.
- Further research into specific macro enzyme types can improve diagnostic specificity.