open access

Vol 50, No 2 (2012)
Original paper
Submitted: 2012-01-19
Accepted: 2012-01-19
Published online: 2012-07-05
Get Citation

Alpha fucosidase and beta galactosidase in serum of a Lyme disease patients as a possible marker of accelerated senescence — a preliminary study

Anna Wasiluk, Napoleon Waszkiewicz, Sławomir Dariusz Szajda, Marzena Wojewódzka-Żelezniakowicz, Alina Kępka, Alina Minarowska, Zbigniew Wojciech Zwierz, Sławomir Pancewicz, Beata Zalewska-Szajda, Jerzy Robert Ładny, Krzysztof Zwierz
DOI: 10.5603/FHC.2012.0036
·
Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2012;50(2):270-274.

open access

Vol 50, No 2 (2012)
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Submitted: 2012-01-19
Accepted: 2012-01-19
Published online: 2012-07-05

Abstract

Lyme disease (LD) is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe. LD is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. LD is a chronic disease which can attack a number of organs: skin, heart, brain, joints. Chronic, low-grade inflammation involves general production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory markers and is a typical feature of aging. So far, the best method of diagnosing LD is a time-consuming and expensive two-stage serological method. The aim of our study was to evaluate the activity of two lysosomal exoglycosidases: α-fucosidase (FUC) and β-galactosidase (GAL) in the serum of patients with Lyme disease, as potential markers of LD. Due to the increasing number of patients with Lyme disease and a number of false results, new ways to diagnose this disease are still being sought. As elevated level of β-galactosidase is a manifestation of residual lysosomal activity in senescent cells, the increase in its activity in serum during chronic Lyme disease might be a marker of a potentially accelerated senescence process. The study was performed on serum taken from cubital veins of 15 patients with Lyme disease and eight healthy subjects (control group). FUC and GAL activity was measured by the method of Chatterjee et al. as modified by Zwierz et al. In the serum of patients with Lyme disease, GAL activity significantly increased (p = 0.029), and the activity of FUC had a tendency to increase (p = 0.153), compared to the control group. A significant increase in GAL activity in the serum of patients with Lyme disease indicates an increased catabolism of glycoconjugates (glycoproteins, glycolipids, proteoglycans) and could be helpful in the diagnosis of Lyme disease, although this requires confirmation in a larger group of patients. As GAL is the most widely used assay for detection of senescent cells, an elevated level of β-galactosidase might be a manifestation of accelerated senescence process in the course of Lyme disease.

Abstract

Lyme disease (LD) is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe. LD is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. LD is a chronic disease which can attack a number of organs: skin, heart, brain, joints. Chronic, low-grade inflammation involves general production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory markers and is a typical feature of aging. So far, the best method of diagnosing LD is a time-consuming and expensive two-stage serological method. The aim of our study was to evaluate the activity of two lysosomal exoglycosidases: α-fucosidase (FUC) and β-galactosidase (GAL) in the serum of patients with Lyme disease, as potential markers of LD. Due to the increasing number of patients with Lyme disease and a number of false results, new ways to diagnose this disease are still being sought. As elevated level of β-galactosidase is a manifestation of residual lysosomal activity in senescent cells, the increase in its activity in serum during chronic Lyme disease might be a marker of a potentially accelerated senescence process. The study was performed on serum taken from cubital veins of 15 patients with Lyme disease and eight healthy subjects (control group). FUC and GAL activity was measured by the method of Chatterjee et al. as modified by Zwierz et al. In the serum of patients with Lyme disease, GAL activity significantly increased (p = 0.029), and the activity of FUC had a tendency to increase (p = 0.153), compared to the control group. A significant increase in GAL activity in the serum of patients with Lyme disease indicates an increased catabolism of glycoconjugates (glycoproteins, glycolipids, proteoglycans) and could be helpful in the diagnosis of Lyme disease, although this requires confirmation in a larger group of patients. As GAL is the most widely used assay for detection of senescent cells, an elevated level of β-galactosidase might be a manifestation of accelerated senescence process in the course of Lyme disease.
Get Citation

Keywords

Lyme disease; alpha-fucosidase; beta-galactosidase; Borrelia burgdorferi; senescence

About this article
Title

Alpha fucosidase and beta galactosidase in serum of a Lyme disease patients as a possible marker of accelerated senescence — a preliminary study

Journal

Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica

Issue

Vol 50, No 2 (2012)

Article type

Original paper

Pages

270-274

Published online

2012-07-05

Page views

3222

Article views/downloads

2610

DOI

10.5603/FHC.2012.0036

Bibliographic record

Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2012;50(2):270-274.

Keywords

Lyme disease
alpha-fucosidase
beta-galactosidase
Borrelia burgdorferi
senescence

Authors

Anna Wasiluk
Napoleon Waszkiewicz
Sławomir Dariusz Szajda
Marzena Wojewódzka-Żelezniakowicz
Alina Kępka
Alina Minarowska
Zbigniew Wojciech Zwierz
Sławomir Pancewicz
Beata Zalewska-Szajda
Jerzy Robert Ładny
Krzysztof Zwierz

Regulations

Important: This website uses cookies. More >>

The cookies allow us to identify your computer and find out details about your last visit. They remembering whether you've visited the site before, so that you remain logged in - or to help us work out how many new website visitors we get each month. Most internet browsers accept cookies automatically, but you can change the settings of your browser to erase cookies or prevent automatic acceptance if you prefer.

By VM Media Group sp z o.o., ul. Świętokrzyska 73, 80–180 Gdańsk

tel.:+48 58 320 94 94, faks:+48 58 320 94 60, e-mail:  viamedica@viamedica.pl