Saliva of patients with Type 1 diabetes: effect of smoking on activity of lysosomal exoglycosidases

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of smoking on the activity of N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase (HEX), its isoenzymes A (HEX-A) and B (HEX-B) and beta-galactosidase (GAL), in the saliva of patients with Type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

In the supernatant HEX and its isoenzymes A and B, and beta-galactosidase were determined by the method of Chatteriee et al in modification of Zwierz et al (mKat kg(-1) of protein). Protein was determined by the Lowry et al method (mg ml(-1)).

RESULTS

The results presented here suggest that diabetes and smoking modify activity of HEX and its isoenzymes, but only combination of diabetes and smoking give a significant increase in the specific activity of HEX and its isoenzymes.

CONCLUSIONS

Type 1 diabetes slightly changes the composition of saliva. Smoking cigarettes significantly modifies the composition and properties of saliva in healthy individuals and patients with Type 1 diabetes.

The activity of cancer procoagulant in cases of uterine leiomyomas

PURPOSE

It is currently believed that cancer procoagulant (CP), an enzymatic protein, is a product of malignant neoplastic cells. The present study was designed to test whether it is also synthesized by benign neoplastic cells, namely uterine leiomyomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We determined the activity of CP in the blood serum of women with uterine leiomyomas (N = 24), normal women (N = 15), and genital cancer patients (N = 6) by the coagulative method according to Gordon and Benson. Also, the CP activity in 10% tissue homogenates of uterine leiomyomas, normal uterine muscle and tissues of cervical and endometrial carcinoma was determined by the chromogenic method according to Colucci et al.

RESULTS

The mean CP activity in the sera of women with uterine leiomyomas was 181.1 seconds (s) +/- 19.9 s, in healthy women--293.2 s +/- 33.8 s, and in genital cancer patients--78.8 +/- 18.5 s (all differences: p < 0.001). Similarly, in homogenates of uterine leiomyomas the CP activity was 19.6 +/- 3.8 nmoles pNa/ml, in normal uterine muscle it was 13.2 +/- 2.2 nmoles pNa/ml, and in cancerous tissue--28.0 +/- 6.6 nmol pNa/ml (all values being significantly different from each other). There was a strong correlation (r = -0.8122; p < 0.001) between the CP activity in uterine leiomyomas and serum activity, suggesting that the source of the serum CP activity was from the leiomyoma. The coagulation time of 120 to 240 s by the Gordon and Benson method supported the diagnosis of uterine leiomyoma, and a value below 120 s--the suspicion of genital cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Uterine leiomyomas, representing benign genital neoplasia, synthesize CP and are the likely origin of CP activity in blood, as has been described for malignant tumors, but to a lesser degree. There may be a role for CP as a tumor marker of genital neoplasia.