title: Serum chitotriosidase levels in cancer patients undergoing high dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human chitotriosidase (ChT) is an active chitinase expressed by activated phagocytes. Increased ChT activity has been reported in systemic Candida albicans infections and in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial infections, indicating that an increase in ChT activity reflects phagocyte activation. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in serum ChT activity in patients who underwent high dose chemotherapy (HDC) and stem cell transplantation (SCT), who are at an increased risk for fungal and bacterial infections due to depression of the immune system during the neutropenic period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 55 SCT patients were included in the study. Serum ChT activity was determined before the initiation of HDC and during the neutropenic period after hematopoietic stem cell reinfusion on post-transplant first, fifth and tenth days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chitotriosidase levels before transplantation were significantly lower than the results at first, fifth and tenth days post-hematopoietic stem cell reinfusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the number of neutrophils was low, ChT enzyme activity was high in newly produced granules of neutrophils. Chitotriosidase may be supplemented as a drug for preventing and treating infections in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey. oguzhanbabacan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Özkan
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kesik
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozaydın
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Babacan
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Akgül
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kılıc
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arpaci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozet
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demirbas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tok
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006596:Hexosaminidases / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D006596:Hexosaminidases; C086400:chitotriosidase