Lysozyme activity determination using peptidoglycan from the cell wall of Micrococcus lysodeikticus

Goncharova A.I., Ziamko V.Y., Okulich V.K.

Vitebsk State Medical University, Vitebsk, Belarus

We created the method of evaluating lysozyme activity in biological fluids and estimated possibility of application such method for diagnosis heavy bacterial pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmory disease and sialoadenitis. Method is based on preliminary preparation of peptidoglycan from the cell wall of Micrococcus lysodeikticus ATCC 4698, marked Congo red, which is used as a substrate for lysozyme.
Results. Taken place established necessity of inactivation complement in biological fluids containing it in order to exclude the influence of this factor in determining activity of lysozyme. Activity of lysozyme in blood serum and sputum among 43 patients and 13 patients with chronic obstructive pulmory disease was studied, as well as 60 patients with sialoadenitis in oral liquid and blood serum. A significant decrease in lysozyme activity in the blood serum of patients with severe bacterial pneumonia was established, a significant higher activity level lysozyme in sputum among patients with chronic obstructive pulmory disease compared patients with heavy bacterial pneumonia and increase in the level of lysozyme activity in oral liquid during the development of the inflammatory process in the large salivary glands. Diagnostic criteria for severe bacterial pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and sialadenitis proposed.