LYSOSOMAL HYDROLASES IN SERUM FROM HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-INFECTED PATIENTS

beta-Hexosaminidase isoenzymes were separated by DEAF-cellulose chroma tography in the serum of 23 patients infected with human immunodeficie ncy virus at different stage of the disease. Forms corresponding to he xosaminidase B, I and A were present in pathological sera. There is an increase in the percentage of hexosaminidase I in pathological sera, that could be used as an additional marker to monitor the clinical sta ge of the disease. Furthermore, total activities of some lysosomal enz ymes were determined in these sera. Activities of beta-hexosaminidase, determined with 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-N-acetylglucopyranoside sub strate, alpha-mannosidase and beta-mannosidase were significantly high er in the serum of patients at the C3 stage of disease than in control s. No significant differences were observed in the activity of beta-he xosaminidase, determined with belliferyl-beta-N-acetylglucopyranoside- 6-sulphate substrate, beta-glucuronidase and beta-galactosidase.