Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.2.1.17 (lysozyme)
 21,489 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Hydrolytic enzymes [acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, beta-D-N-acetyl glucosaminidase (beta-D-NAGA), lysozyme and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)] are the major constituents of alveolar macrophages (AM). These enzymes play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of interstitial lung diseases. Cell-associated activity of several enzymes in alveolar macrophages obtained from control subjects (n = 5) and patients suffering five representative types of interstitial pulmonary diseases [sarcoidosis (n = 10), extrinsic allergic alveolitis (n = 5), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (n = 5), neoplastic infiltration of the lung (n = 5) and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (n = 5)] were evaluated. Cells were obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage and isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. Enzymatic activity was assessed by standardized tests. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) lymphocyte counts were significantly elevated in the patients with active sarcoidosis (median: 57%), allergic extrinsic alveolitis (median: 51%) and neoplastic infiltration (median: 31%) as compared with the other groups, whereas BAL neutrophil and eosinophil counts were significantly elevated in the patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (neutrophil median: 29%; eosinophil median: 3%). The highest alveolar macrophage enzymatic activities were obtained in the active sarcoidosis group (median ACE: 23.38 microKat 10(-6) AM; median lysozyme: 8.64 nKat 10(-6) AM; median beta-glucuronidase: 324.22 U 10(-6) AM; median acid phosphatase: 0.78 nKat 10(-6) AM; median beta-D-NAGA: 1.85 nKat 10(-6) AM) which was significantly greater than in the control group (median ACE: 6.69 microKat 10(-6) AM; median lysozyme: 1.95 nKat 10(-6) AM; median beta-glucuronidase: 39.88 U 10(-6) AM; median acid phosphatase: 0.38 nKat 10(-6) AM; median beta-D-NAGA: 0.44 nKat 10(-6) AM). However, intracellular lysosomal enzymatic activities of alveolar macrophages from patients with allergic extrinsic alveolitis, a disease in which the degree of alveolar macrophage activation is maximal, were similar to those of the control group. These findings demonstrated a different pattern of expression of alveolar macrophage's hydrolytic enzymes in lymphocytic diffuse pulmonary interstitial disease. In sarcoidotic patients, hydrolytic enzymes were increased whereas in allergic extrinsic alveolitis, hydrolytic enzyme activities were similar to control groups. Indirect data suggest that the release of lysosomal enzymes by alveolar macrophages during allergic extrinsic alveolitis may be a factor involved in the pulmonary lesions appearing in this disease.
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PMID:Hydrolytic enzyme of the alveolar macrophage in diffuse pulmonary interstitial disease. 873 8

Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula (Micropolyspora faeni) is one of the major agents responsible for farmer's lung disease, a form of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. It is frequently isolated from the air of contaminated barns. The identification of this actinomycete is difficult because most of its phenotypic characteristics are variable and classical tests are not easy to perform on actinomycetes. Fatty acid analysis is very useful for the identification of these strains, but is not available except in some research or reference laboratories. Morphological (microscopic and macroscopic observations), physiological and biochemical tests (growth properties; macromolecules degraded; citrate utilisation and acid production from carbohydrates; resistance to antibiotics, lysozyme and heat), cell wall and fatty acid analyses and IgG analyses with serum from patients with farmer's lung were performed on 12 environmental isolates presumed to be S. rectivirgula and two control strains of S. rectivirgula. From this, a simple and rapid scheme for the identification of this actinomycete is proposed: optimal growth temperature (55 degrees C); colony appearance based on morphology (filamentous) and colour (beige to orange-brown); microscopic morphology (chains of spores on both aerial and substrate mycelium); growth on NaCl 10%; cell-wall analysis (type IV); and the verification of antibody response with serum from a patient with farmer's lung. This last criterion is important to confirm the immunogenicity of the strains identified as S. rectivirgula. This scheme provides an accurate and efficient way of identifying S. rectivirgula strains and evaluating exposure to this bacterium. The study shows the limited value and the lack of reproducibility of some classical biochemical tests.
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PMID:Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula from Quebec dairy barns: application of simplified criteria for the identification of an agent responsible for farmer's lung disease. 998 46

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is a pulmonary disease characterised by inflammation that can be caused by, amongst other substances, a subset of 4 thermophilic mycelial bacteria: Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula, Saccharomonospora viridis, Thermoactinomyces sacchari, and Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. Air sampling analyses in highly contaminated environments are often performed to evaluate exposure to these species which are difficult and fastidious to identify by conventional techniques. The aim of this study was to use amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) to develop a method of identification for those thermophilic organisms that would be more rapid and simple. Strains of these 4 species were obtained from the American type culture collection (ATCC) and were characterized using biochemical tests and ARDRA patterns obtained on their partial-lenght amplified 16S rDNAs. To validate this approach, ARDRA with two restriction enzymes, TaqI and HhaI, was applied to 49 thermophilic actinomycete-like strains from environmental samples (sawmills). The results obtained show that combining some cultural characteristics and biochemical tests, such as xanthine or hypoxanthine decomposition, growth in the presence of NaCl, lysozyme or novobiocin, and spore resistance over 100 degrees C provide a rough identification and selection of the genera of interest. Consequently, target species could be confirmed by digestion of partial-lenght 16S rDNA with the use of Taql and HhaI restriction enzymes that gave specific restriction patterns. ARDRA analyses on the 49 environmental actinomycete-like organisms revealed the presence of 8 Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula, 2 Saccharomonospora viridis, and 15 Thermoactinomyces vulgaris strains, the other strains had restriction patterns different than those of the species of interest. Results of the present study will be applicable to other potential HP environments such as dairy barns, peat bogs and compost plants.
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PMID:Random amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis for rapid identification of thermophilic Actinomycete-like bacteria involved in hypersensitivity pneumonitis. 1151 32