Lysosomal enzymes and superoxide production in polymorphonuclear leukocytes of patients with primary varicose veins.

In order to clarify the role of reactive oxygen species and lysosomal enzymes in the etiopathogenesis of varicose veins, the investigation of their activities in serum and peripheral neutrophils of 17 patients with primary varicose veins was done. The mean activities of acid phosphatase, beta-D-glucuronidase (BDG) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase were higher in serum of patients with varicose veins than in serum of normal subjects. However, the mean BDG activity was lower in the patients' neutrophils and the activities of elastase and myeloperoxidase were higher than in clinically healthy persons.

Effect of growth hormone on the activity of some lysosomal enzymes in neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes of hypopituitary dwarfs.

Elevated activities of beta-D-glucuronidase, myeloperoxidase, and lysozyme were found in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) of both hypopituitary dwarfs and normal subjects after the administration of growth hormone (GH), as compared to the activities in PMNs from blood drawn immediately before the administration of GH. During in vitro incubation, GH was able to inhibit the release of lysosomal enzymes from resting PMNs. This inhibition may be one of the reasons for the elevated lysosomal enzyme activities observed in PMNs after the administration of GH.