muramidase and Central-Nervous-System-Diseases

Topics: Animals; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Central Nervous System Diseases; Circadian Rhythm; Diagnosis, Differential; Hepatitis A; Leukemia; Lysosomes; Muramidase; Periodicity; Rabbits; Rats; Virus Diseases

Topics: Animals; Avitaminosis; Bronchoscopy; Burns; Central Nervous System Diseases; Chick Embryo; Child; Crystallization; Ear Diseases; Eye Diseases; Female; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Genital Diseases, Female; Humans; Liver Diseases; Mouth Diseases; Muramidase; Nose Diseases; Postoperative Complications; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Typhus, Epidemic Louse-Borne; Vascular Diseases; Wounds and Injuries

Topics: Adult; Antirheumatic Agents; Appetite; Cell Count; Central Nervous System Diseases; Fatigue; Humans; Infliximab; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Muramidase; Proteins; Sarcoidosis; Weight Loss

beta 2-Microglobulin and lysozyme were determined in paired serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples from 137 patients, using immunofluorometry and ELISA, respectively. Of these patients, 54 were infected by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV1) (including 20 AIDS dementia patients), 73 were HIV1-seronegative with neurological diseases (meningitis (n = 10), multiple sclerosis (n = 29), other neurological diseases (n = 34)) and 10 were controls. Intrathecal synthesis of beta 2-microglobulin occurred in each group. Conversely, lysozyme intrathecal synthesis was found only in meningitis (10/10) and in HIV1-infection (24/54). A pathological increase in beta 2-microglobulin intrathecal synthesis (> or = 2 mg/l) was observed in 45 patients (34 HIV1-infected patients and 11 HIV1-seronegative patients with neurological diseases). Serum concentration and intrathecal synthesis of beta 2-microglobulin were correlated only in the 20 AIDS dementia patients. The cerebrospinal fluid beta 2-microglobulin and lysozyme concentrations were correlated in the 54 HIV1-infected patients only. Blood CD4 + T-cell count was correlated negatively with beta 2-microglobulin intrathecal synthesis but not with lysozyme intrathecal synthesis. These data suggest that in the absence of any central nervous system opportunistic process the increase of beta 2-microglobulin intrathecal synthesis (> or = 2 mg/l) may be a reliable marker of central nervous system involvement in HIV1-infected patients. Intrathecal synthesis of lysozyme was related principally to HIV1-encephalitis and central nervous system opportunistic processes.

Topics: Adult; AIDS Dementia Complex; Albumins; beta 2-Microglobulin; Biomarkers; Central Nervous System Diseases; Complement C4; Female; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Immunoglobulins; Male; Middle Aged; Muramidase; Predictive Value of Tests; Spinal Cord

For a complete evaluation of a patient with suspected neurosarcoidosis, combination of the newer CSF, neurophysiological, and neuroradiological studies is needed. CSF enzyme studies are useful in cerebral lesions and especially in cranial nerve lesions where CT and MRI usually fail to show abnormalities. Evoked potential examinations are a helpful noninvasive method for detection of both cerebral and cranial nerve lesions. Although CT and MRI are mainly abnormal in patients with cerebral symptoms they can disclose unexpected CNS involvement even in patients with mainly cranial nerve affection. However, even the newest diagnostic methods are nonspecific, and histologically verified systemic sarcoidosis still remains the mainstay of diagnosis.

Topics: Adult; Aged; beta 2-Microglobulin; Brain; Central Nervous System Diseases; Evoked Potentials, Auditory; Evoked Potentials, Visual; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Muramidase; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; Sarcoidosis; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement in patients with leukaemia or lymphoma presents a diagnostic problem. This study was conducted to test whether combined measurements of various cellular markers such as beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m), lactoferrin (LF) and lysozyme (LYS) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) might aid in the diagnosis of CNS involvement in such patients. Forty-two patients were studied. Sixteen were considered to have CNS involvement and 26 showed no signs of such involvement. In the group with symptoms or signs of CNS involvement, nine patients out of 12 had increased total protein in CSF, 14 of 14 increased beta 2m, 14 of 16 increased LYS and five of 15 increased LF. In patients without CNS involvement total protein was increased in four of 25, beta 2m in three of 21, LYS in four of 28 and LF in one of 28 patients. The differences were statistically significant (P less than 0.01, P less than 0.001, P less than 0.001 and P less than 0.05, respectively). Prophylactic intrathecal methotrexate treatment in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia caused an increase in the CSF of beta 2m, LYS and LF but not of total protein, which may reflect a drug-induced inflammatory reaction in the CNS. We conclude that combined measurements of the three cell markers add to our understanding of the cellular reaction to malignant cells in the CNS in leukaemia and lymphoma and may be valuable supplements in the diagnosis of this CNS involvement.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; beta 2-Microglobulin; Central Nervous System Diseases; Female; Humans; Injections, Spinal; Lactoferrin; Lactoglobulins; Leukemia; Lymphoma; Male; Methotrexate; Middle Aged; Muramidase; Time Factors

The macrophage markers non-specific esterase, alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, and lysozyme were compared with conventional microglial and macrophage stains in the human central nervous system. In a series of specimens from cases of head trauma, conventionally fixed and embedded, the modified Weil-Davenport stain was unequivocally best for demonstrating reactive microglia. alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, however, was the most effective for showing macrophages in a series of specimens from patients with other conditions, which included inflammatory, neoplastic, and non-inflammatory diseases. The non-specific esterase reaction was unsatisfactory in tissues fixed in neutral formalin but was successful in fresh frozen tissue. In a series of specimens from cases of multiple sclerosis, non-specific esterase showed demyelination clearly and stained neuronal cytoplasm. It also stained macrophages but was less satisfactory for lipid-bearing phagocytes in multiple sclerosis than oil red 0.

Topics: alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; alpha 1-Antitrypsin; Brain Injuries; Carboxylesterase; Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; Central Nervous System; Central Nervous System Diseases; Chymotrypsin; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Macrophages; Muramidase; Neuroglia; Palatine Tonsil; Staining and Labeling

The CSF levels of lactoferrin, lysozyme, and beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2 mu) were measured in patients with evident, probable, or possible inflammatory CNS reactions and compared to those found in neurologically apparently healthy patients. Patients with viral CNS infections had significantly raised beta 2 mu and lysozyme levels but normal lactoferrin levels, indicating a local activation of lymphocytes and monocytes but not of granulocytes. Patients with bacterial CNS infections had significantly raised levels of all three cell markers, but the increase of lysozyme and lactoferrin was relatively more pronounced than that of beta 2 mu, indicating that the inflammatory response to bacterial agents is dominated by monocytes and granulocytes. Patients with primary or secondary malignant brain tumors were characterized by a moderate increase of beta 2 mu and a considerable increase in both lysozyme and lactoferrin, i.e., the same protein pattern as observed in bacterial CNS infection. The lysozyme levels were moderately increased in half the patients with benign cerebral tumors while the levels of beta 2 mu and lactoferrin were normal, indicating that benign and malignant brain tumors induce different local inflammatory CNS reactions. Half the patients with pituitary gland adenoma had elevated beta 2 mu and lysozyme levels but normal lactoferrin levels, suggesting that immunological mechanisms are associated with the adenoma development. Patients with MS had moderately but significantly raised CSF levels of beta 2 mu and lysozyme and a third of them also had raised levels of lactoferrin, a protein pattern suggesting a low-active inflammatory process in CNS involving mononuclears and granulocytes. A similar protein pattern was found in Guillain-Barré syndrome. In cerebrosarcoidosis we noted considerably increased lysozyme and beta 2 mu but normal lactoferrin levels, consistent with the idea that the sarcoid granuloma mass is dominated by monocytic inflammatory cells. The data obtained indicate a clinical value of lactoferrin, lysozyme, and beta 2 mu as differential indices of inflammatory cell reactions taking place in various CNS processes.

Topics: Adult; Albumins; Bacterial Infections; beta 2-Microglobulin; Beta-Globulins; Central Nervous System Diseases; Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; Female; Humans; Inflammation; Lactoferrin; Lactoglobulins; Male; Muramidase; Virus Diseases

The presence of lysozyme in the CSF is considered with regard to its value in the early diagnosis of primary or secondary CNS Tumours. Since the appearance of this enzyme in the CSF is secondary to the increase of protein in the fluid, the search for lysozyme in the CSF is of no practical help in the diagnosis of CNS tumours.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Brain Neoplasms; Central Nervous System Diseases; Cerebral Ventricles; Child; Child, Preschool; Craniopharyngioma; Cysts; Female; Glioma; Humans; Hydrocephalus; Infant; Male; Meningioma; Meningitis; Middle Aged; Muramidase; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neurilemmoma; Neuroblastoma; Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms; Time Factors; Vestibulocochlear Nerve

Lysozyme activity was measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 114 patients with inflammatory (bacterial and serous meningitis, polyradiculitis, encephalitis) and non-inflammatory (multiple sclerosis, CNS tumors, cerebral vascular diseases) CNS diseases. Highly elevated values were found consistently in patients with bacterial meningitis. Elevated values were found also in patients with encephalitis, polyradiculitis, multiple sclerosis and CNS tumors, but a considerable overlapping between these groups and normal controls precludes the use of CSF lysozyme measurements as a diagnostic aid in the latter disease groups. Simultaneous measurements of lysozyme, albumin and IgG in CSF and serum suggested that the mechanism for increased CSF lysozyme values in bacterial meningitis is mainly a breakdown of the blood/brain barrier, whereas the increased CSF lysozyme values in the remaining groups of patients are more likely caused by production of lysozyme by cells within the meninges (neutrophilic granulocytes, monocytes?).

Topics: Blood-Brain Barrier; Brain Neoplasms; Central Nervous System Diseases; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Encephalitis; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Male; Meningitis; Multiple Sclerosis; Muramidase; Polyradiculopathy; Serum Albumin

The concentration of lysozyme (LZM) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been studied in 148 patients to evaluate its possible significance in the differential diagnosis of various diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS). In the control group only 3 of 45 patients had detectable LZM in their CSF, the highest value being 1.3 mug/ml. The diabetic and epileptic groups did not differ from the control group. Of 8 patients with primary intracranial tumours, 4 had raised CSF-LZM levels. Twenty of 23 uraemic patients had elevated CSF-LZM, the highest value being 3.3 mug/ml. The highest values were found in patients with bacterial meningitis, tuberculous meningitis and leptomeningitis due to Aspergillus. A positive correlation was found between CSF-LZM and protein concentrations. The measurement of LZM may be of value in the diagnosis of inflammatory processes affecting the CNS and in the diagnosis of certain intracranial tumours.

Topics: Aged; Brain Neoplasms; Central Nervous System Diseases; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Diabetic Neuropathies; Epilepsy; Female; Humans; Male; Meningitis; Muramidase