Serum lysozyme activity in patients with Hodgkin's disease undergoing chemotherapy

Lysozyme activity was determined in undiluted and diluted sera of 41 patients suffered from Hodgkin's disease and of 40 healthy individuals. Blood was collected before chemotherapy, midway of its course, just after completion of chemotherapy and three weeks and three months later. Lysozyme activity was evidently increased as well in undiluted as in diluted sera in all our tested patients. These findings may be interpreted by the presence of immune complexes in sera which may stimulate the release of lysozyme from viable neutrophils. High activity in diluted sera probably is related to the increased concentration of lysozyme inhibitors. The applied chemotherapy did not significantly change the activity of the lysozyme during its course of even after its completion as found by three-month observation. The enhanced lysozyme activity in sera of patients may be at least in part to compensate decreased antibacterial and anticancer mechanisms.