ELEVATED LEVELS OF ACTIVITIES OF BETA-HEXOSAMINIDASE AND ALPHA-MANNOSIDASE IN HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-INFECTED PATIENTS

To determine their value as markers of the clinical stage of human imm unodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, plasma activities of lysosomal glyc osidases were determined in the plasma of 97 HIV-infected patients: mo lecular forms of cathepsin D were characterized by Western blot to exa mine the mode of enzyme release. In patients with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stage II and III of HIV disease, plasma activit y of beta-hexosaminidase was significantly increased. In patients with stage III infection, alpha-mannosidase activity was also significantl y increased and cathepsin D was elevated and present only in its prema ture form. Thus, determination of plasma activities of beta-hexosamini dase and alpha-mannosidase in HIV-positive persons may be useful for d istinguishing the clinical stage of disease. The elevation of precurso rs of cathepsin D in patients with stage III HIV disease indicates tha t secretion of lysosomal enzymes rather than leakage of enzymes from d amaged cells is markedly elevated.