[Lysosomal enzyme activity in white blood cells in leukemias]

Total enzyme activity of acidic hydrolases and total neutral proteinase were compared in the post-nuclear fraction of leukocytes from healthy subjects and leukemia patients. The levels of acidic phosphotase and neutral proteinase in lymphoid cells of healthy donors were 11 and 7 times lower than those in myeloid cells, respectively. Patients suffering chronic myeloid leukemia revealed enhanced levels of beta-glucuronidase and neutral proteinases whereas B-chronic lymphoid leukemia involved acidic hydrolase concentrations lower than normal. As chronic myeloid leukemia advanced, neutral proteinase activity dropped dramatically (2.5 times); an aggressive course of B-chronic lymphoid leukemia was accompanied by a 3-fold decrease in acidic hydrolase level. The results may be used as indirect evidence of differences in the role of lysosomal enzymes in the mechanism of protein processing involved in myeloid and lymphoid proliferative pathologies.