title: Relationship of thyroid status and serum N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase isoenzyme activities in humans.
abstract: Serum from 28 hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, and euthyroid pre- or early puberty females was examined for N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (HEX) activity. Total, isoenzyme A (labile), and isoenzyme B (stable) levels were determined for this enzyme. A high degree of correlation (r = 0.76; p less than 0.001) exists between total hexosaminidase activity and thyroid hormone levels (as reflected by the Free Thyroxine Index). Examining each isoenzyme individually, A is selectively enhanced (r = 0.84; p less than 0.0005) whereas B displays no significant change regardless of thyroid activity. In hyperthyroid individuals, levels of total hexosaminidase (730 +/- 67 units) (mean +/- S.D.) and isoenzyme A (516 +/- 46) were significantly higher than levels found in either the hypothyroid (total: 547 +/- 30; isoenzyme A: 352 +/- 31) or euthyroid (total: 620 +/- 81; isoenzyme A: 423 +/- 45) groups. However, no change was observed in levels of isoenzyme B among hypothyroid (195 +/- 19), euthyroid (197 +/- 43) and hyperthyroid (215 +/- 32) groups. These data substantiate our earlier findings in the rat, wherein thyroxine administration evoked a similar response in the liver. They are of particular interest in light of the deficiency of HEX A in variants of GM2 gangliosidosis.
mesh_terms: D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006596:Hexosaminidases / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000201:enzymology*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000201:enzymology*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood*; D011627:Puberty; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D006596:Hexosaminidases; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase; D013974:Thyroxine