The leukocytes of male patients with Fabry's disease are deficient in alpha-galactosidase. The alpha-galactosidase activity in the leukocytes of female carriers of the disease is 15 to 40 percent of the amount present in normal leukocytes. The activities of beta-galactosidase, beta-acetylgalactosaminidase, and beta-acetylglucosaminidase in the leukocytes of affected individuals are normal.
Measurement of alpha-glucosidase (alpha-GLUC) activity by means of a simple colorimetric test using a commercial kit (EpiScreen; FertiPro, Lotenhulle, Belgium) yielded results that were strongly correlated with the values obtained for the neutral iso-enzyme measured by a fluorimetric reference method (r=0.85, P=0.003, n=13). The former method was characterized by a low intra- and inter-coefficient of variation (6.6 and 4.3% respectively). Vasectomized men with azoospermia (n=27) had a significantly lower alpha-GLUC activity in semen than vasectomized men with residual spermatozoa present (n=11, P < 0.01) and men with azoospermia of primary testicular origin (n=33, P < 0.01). Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis showed alpha-GLUC measurement to be reasonably accurate in differentiation between cases with obstructive versus testicular azoospermia at criterion value 13.5 U/l (sensitivity=82%, specificity= 70%). In cases with spermatozoa present, alpha-GLUC activity and output per ejaculate were positively correlated with sperm concentration (r=0.53 and 0.38, n=472), linear velocity (r=0.35 and 0.30, n=224), curvilinear velocity (r=0.32 and r=0.29, n=224), semen adenosine triphosphate (r=0.35 and 0.26, n=64), the concentration of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (r=0.31 and 0.29, n=74), and gamma-glutamyltransferase activity (r=0.62 and 0.32, n=275) in seminal plasma. The activity of alpha-GLUC was inversely correlated with ROS generation after 12-myristate, 13-acetate phorbol ester stimulation (r=-0.27, n=104), and both alpha-GLUC activity and total output were inversely correlated with the concentration of peroxidase-positive white blood cells among samples with > or =1x10(6)/ml of these cells (r=-0.30 and -0.19, n=165). It is concluded that simple photometric measurement of alpha-GLUC activity in seminal plasma reflects the functional state of the epididymis and may be helpful for the differential diagnosis of certain cases with azoospermia.
Total activities of acid hydrolases in liver of two patients with mucopolysaccharidosis are decreased for beta-galactosidase, alpha-galactosidase, and arylsulfatase A; total activities of four other hydrolases are normal or increased. The isoenzyme distribution of five hydrolases (beta-glucuronidase, alpha-glucosidase, beta- galactosidase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, and alpha-galactosidase) is ábnormal in that the isoelectric points (by isoelectric focusing) of these enzymes are more acid than in control liver. Along with the isoenzyme abnormalities different kinds of glycolipids were stored in kidney, liver, and brain. The isoenzyme abnormalities can be reproduced in vitro by addition of chondroitin sulfate to a homogenate of normal liver, suggesting that stable binding occurs between mucopolysaccharides and the hydrolase molecules. After the addition of chondroitin sulfate, the total activity of beta-galactosidase is inhibited, whereas other hydrolases are affected only slightly or not at all.
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