ARYLSULFATASE-A AND BETA-GALACTOSIDASE ACTIVITIES IN LEUKOCYTES AND LYMPHOCYTES FROM NORMAL AND PSYCHIATRIC SUBJECTS - EFFECTS OF BLOOD-PROCESSING DELAY AND INTERLEUKIN-2 STIMULATION

Arylsulfatase A (ASA) and cerebroside-beta-galactosidase activities in leukocytes serve as a diagnostic tool for determining the presence of metachromatic leukodystrophy and globoid cell leukodystrophy, respect ively. It has not been demonstrated whether a delay in blood processin g and the presence of mixed cell types in different proportions in leu kocytes affect the activities of the two enzymes in these cells. We ha ve in the present study determined the specific activity in leukocytes and lymphocytes (T-cells) prepared from blood samples processed immed iately after, 4, and 24 h after collection. In order to determine whet her the enzyme activities in lymphocytes reflect expression of genetic trait, and not environmental or ''state'' influence, the activities o f the two enzymes in interleukin 2-stimulated T-cells and resting T-ce lls were compared. A delay of up to 24 h in blood processing did not s ignificantly change the specific activities of the two enzymes in both leukocytes and lymphocytes. The specific activity of ASA and beta-gal actosidase in lymphocytes was 1.4-1.8 times that in leukocytes. The ac tivities of the two enzymes in interleukin 2-stimulated T-cells did no t differ from those in resting T-cells. These results indicate that bl ood-processing delay had no significant effects on ASA and beta-galact osidase activity. The data further indicate that the ASA and beta-gala ctosidase activity in interleukin 2-stimulated T-cells was not signifi cantly different from resting lymphocytes from either normal or psychi atric subjects exposed to various medications. The activity levels in lymphocytes from psychiatric subjects thus reflect expression of genet ic trait, rather than environmental or state influence.