Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.2.1.31 (beta-glucuronidase)
 7,680 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have assessed the diagnostic value of the determination of cerebrospinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase, carcinoembryonic antigen, beta 2-microglobulin, beta-glucuronidase and total protein, using linear discriminant analysis, in detecting central nervous system metastases from extracranial malignancies. We conclude that, using these tests, it is impossible to differentiate between control individuals and patients with brain or epidural metastases. Leptomeningeal dissemination from either solid tumours or non-Hodgkin lymphoma could be differentiated from control individuals and patients with brain or epidural metastases. In this differentiation it is essential that bacterial, fungal or tuberculous meningitis be excluded from the differential diagnosis by other diagnostic procedures. The combination of beta-glucuronidase and beta 2-microglobulin provides almost the same diagnostic information as the combination of all parameters.
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PMID:Tumour markers in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with central nervous system metastases from extracranial malignancies. 340 30

The specificity and sensitivity of the assay for beta-glucuronidase in cerebrospinal fluid were evaluated to determine the usefulness of this test for the detection of neoplastic meningitis. The enzyme activity was first measured in cerebrospinal fluid from 131 patients with various disorders and was then prospectively measured in cerebrospinal fluid from 30 patients with cytologic results that were positive for or suggestive of malignant disease. Within the first group, elevated levels of beta-glucuronidase were found only among patients with neoplastic processes in the central nervous system, including neoplastic meningitis. Among 26 patients with neoplastic processes in the central nervous system, including neoplastic meningitis. Among 26 patients with positive cytologic results, 13 had elevated beta-glucuronidase activities. Elevated values were more frequent among patients with adenocarcinoma (75%) and myelogenous leukemia (60%). The patients with these two disorders also had the highest enzyme activities. The correlation of th beta-glucuronidase level with other cerebrospinal fluid values, including total protein, glucose content, and cell count, was not significant. The findings of this study indicate that measurement of beta-glucuronidase in cerebrospinal fluid can be used as an adjunctive diagnostic test for neoplastic meningitis. The results should be interpreted with caution, however, because of the possibility that the elevated enzyme levels may be due to acute or subacute bacterial or fungal meningitis.
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PMID:Assay for beta-glucuronidase in cerebrospinal fluid: usefulness for the detection of neoplastic meningitis. 399 Mar 76

The clinical value of CSF beta-glucuronidase assay in the differential diagnosis of chronic meningitis had been investigated over the past 20 years. Significant (P < .001), often marked, elevation of the enzyme level was found in the first sample submitted in 29 of 30 cases of neoplastic meningitis, irrespective of treatment (mean, 324 units), and in 12 of 14 untreated cases with meningeal lymphoma (mean, 174 units). On the other hand, untreated patients with chronic meningitis of other etiologies had significantly lower of other etiologies had significantly lower levels of enzyme elevation, eg, leukemic meningitis (mean, 46 units), fungal meningitis (mean, 41 units), and tuberculous meningitis (mean, 79 units). In the few cases of chronic meningitis studied during appropriate therapy, a tendency toward a decrease in enzyme activity was noted, thus offering further diagnostic support. In our opinion, the finding of a marked elevation of beta-glucuronidase activity in a patient with chronic meningitis is presumptive evidence of neoplastic etiology.
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PMID:CSF beta-glucuronidase assay in the diagnosis of neoplastic meningitis. 743 7

Because inflammation could affect lysosomal enzyme trafficking, resulting in increased enzyme release from the cells, tissue necrosis, or altered blood- and the brain-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier, the activity of four lysosomal enzymes in the cell-free CSF of 34 patients with bacterial meningitis, 20 with aseptic meningitis, and 39 control subjects was measured. Activities are expressed in nanomoles of 4-methylumbelliferone mL/h. The median beta-hexosaminidase A activity in bacterial meningitis was 313, in aseptic meningitis it was 173, and in the control subjects it was 175, the median beta-hexosaminidase B activity was 417, 165, and 120; the median alpha-mannosidase activity was 171, 124, and 113; and the median beta-glucuronidase activity was 133.7, 14.3, and 10.0, respectively. The difference of the activities of the four enzymes measured between the bacteria meningitis and the controls is significant (p < 0.000). Also significant is the difference between bacterial and aseptic meningitis (p = 0.005 to < 0.000), but it is not significant between aseptic and control subjects. Both the sensitivity and specificity of the beta-glucuronidase activity between bacterial meningitis and control subjects were 100%, whereas the corresponding values between bacterial and aseptic meningitis were 100% and 90%, respectively. No significant correlation was observed between the activities of the enzymes measured and the number of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes or other laboratory characteristics of the CSF. The increased lysosomal enzyme activities in the CSF of patients with meningitis may result from diffusion across the blood-CSF or the brain-CSF barrier or from enzyme leakage through the cell membranes.
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PMID:Increased activity of lysosomal acid hydrolases in the cell-free cerebrospinal fluid of bacterial meningitis. 902 45

The purpose of the present study was to compare the incidence of childhood meningitis in regions with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants (rural regions) and regions with more than 2,000 inhabitants (urban regions) in the prefecture of Achaia in Western Greece during 1991-2005. Included were all 555 children hospitalized for meningitis. The criteria for bacterial meningitis were (i) positive blood/cerebralspinal fluid (CSF) culture, Gram stain, or latex agglutination and/or (ii) increased beta-glucuronidase in CSF. In case of suspected bacterial meningitis, the following findings were considered: compatible clinical and laboratory findings, and whether or not a cure was achieved with antibiotic treatment and finally resulted in negative cultures. In cases of suspected viral meningitis, compatible clinical and laboratory findings were considered, together with observation of a cure without antibiotic treatment. Only 28 of 555 meningitis patients were from rural regions. The incidence per 10,000 children in rural and urban regions, respectively, was as follows: meningitis, 1.13 and 8.99; bacterial meningitis, 0.16 and 2.40; suspected bacterial meningitis, 0.52 and 3.00; and viral meningitis, 0.44 and 3.58. The incidence ratio for bacterial, suspected bacterial, and viral meningitis in urban versus rural regions was 14.85, 5.72, and 8.10, respectively. Only 2 of the 79 cases with a confirmed causative pathogen came from rural regions. In conclusion, compared to those living in urban regions, children living in rural regions are relatively spared from bacterial and viral meningitis.
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PMID:Rarity of bacterial and viral meningitis in areas of Western Greece with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants. 1821 35