title: N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase and its isoenzymes A and B in blood serum and urine, as a potential colon cancer markers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase (HEX), and its isoenzymes A (HEX A) and B (HEX B) activity in blood serum and urine as potential markers of colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed in blood serum and urine of 32 patients with adenocarcinoma, 6 with adenocarcinoma mucinosum of the colon, and 20 healthy people. The activity of HEX, HEX A and HEX B was determined in blood serum and urine by spectrophotometric method of Marciniak et al. The concentration of CEA was determined in blood serum by immunoenzymatic method (MEIA). The concentration of protein was assessed by the Lowry method, whereas the concentration of creatinine in urine by the Jaffe method (without deproteinization).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in the concentration of HEX, HEX A and HEX B activity was proved in serum and urine of patients with colon adenocarcinoma. In patients with colon adenocarcinoma mucinosum, the higher activity of HEX was revealed in blood serum compared to healthy people, and the significantly higher activity of HEX and HEX B expressed as pKat/mg of creatinine, was found in urine. We observe a significant increase in the activity of HEX, HEX A and HEX B expressed in pKat/mg of creatinine was found in urine of patients bearing tumor of diameter 6.0-7.0 cm in comparison to patients with tumor of diameter 4.0-5.0 cm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study results suggest that determination of HEX, HEX A and HEX B activity in blood serum and urine may be used to detect colon cancer in its early stages. However, the use of HEX, HEX A and HEX B activity in oncological diagnostics requires further studies on a larger group of patients.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland. spoak@umwb.edu.pl
authors: Sławomir Dariusz
authors: SD
authors: Szajda
authors: Małgorzata
authors: M
authors: Borzym-Kluczyk
authors: Jadwiga
authors: J
authors: Snarska
authors: Zbigniew
authors: Z
authors: Puchalski
authors: Krzysztof
authors: K
authors: Zwierz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D054818:Hexosaminidase A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D054819:Hexosaminidase B / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001619:beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D054818:Hexosaminidase A; D054819:Hexosaminidase B; D001619:beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases