Unusual thermolability properties of beta-hexosaminidase: studies of enzyme from cultured cells and clinical implications

β-Hexosaminidase isoenzyme profiles in serum, plasma, platelets and mononuclear, polymorphonuclear and unfractionated total leukocytes

OBJECTIVES

The relative proportion in percentage of the isoenzyme A of beta-hexosaminidase (Hex) is the single discriminatory function most frequently used for the biochemical screening of heterozygote Tay-Sachs disease carriers. It has been suggested that the assay of the Hex isoenzymes in homogeneous cell preparations is preferable to that in mixed total leukocytes which present greater interindividual variation. The major aim of our study was the evaluation of this hypothesis.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Total Hex and its Hex A and Hex B isoenzymes were determined in different samples of serum and plasma (n = 81) as well as in lysates of platelets (n = 75), and mononuclear (n = 81), polymorphonuclear (n = 81) and mixed total leukocytes (n = 33).

RESULTS

The interindividual variations found for % Hex A in the different biological samples were: plasma (CV = 23.4%), platelets (CV = 10.2%), mononuclear (CV = 5.7%), polymorphonuclear (CV = 5.3%) and total leukocytes (CV = 7.1%). Although the relative proportion of Hex A was significantly greater in polymorphonuclear than in mononuclear leukocytes (P < 0.001), a statistical significance was not attained for the correlation between the relative proportions of blood polymorphonuclear cells and Hex A in mixed total leukocytes (r = 0.220).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of total leukocyte lysates does not appear to introduce a significant increase for the interindividual variation of the Hex A isoenzyme relative proportion in relation to the use of homogeneous cell preparations.

Thermodynamic determination of beta-hexosaminidase isoenzymes in mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leukocyte populations

Isoenzymes of beta-hexosaminidase (Hex) were determined in mononuclear (MN) and polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes, with a thermodynamic method using the chromogenic substrate sodio-3,3'-dichlorophenolsulfonphthaleinyl N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide. Imprecision was very satisfactory, and the results are very much in agreement with those obtained using the fluorogenic substrates 4-methylumbelliferyl N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide and 4-methylumbelliferyl N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide 6-sulfate. In 163 healthy individuals we found, for the proportion as a percentage of the Hex A isoenzyme, significantly higher values (P < 0.001) in PMN than in MN cells (71.56 +/- 0.30% vs. 54.28 +/- 0.24%), meaning that it would not appear advisable to use total leukocyte lysates for evaluating this variable. The method is fast, precise, and highly suitable for the biochemical diagnosis and heterozygote screening of GM2 gangliosidoses, and would be applicable in cases of thermolabile Hex B and for detecting the B1 variant.