Behaviour of some lysosomal enzymes in the plasma of insulin dependent diabetic patients during artificial pancreas treatment.

The plasma levels of three lysosomal enzymes, beta-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase, beta-D-glucuronidase, and alpha-L-fucosidase, were fluorimetrically determined in seven insulin-dependent diabetic patients one day before, one day after, and during a two-day treatment with the artificial pancreas, at 4 to 5 h intervals. A statistically significant decrease of the plasma level of each enzyme was observed during artificial pancreas treatment. The extent of decrease was 30 to 35% for beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, 35 to 40% for beta-D-glucuronidase, and 20 to 25% for alpha-L-fucosidase. The decrease occurred earlier (at the first day of treatment) for beta-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and later (at the second day of treatment, and lasting to the first day after treatment) for the other two enzymes. These results suggest a direct connection between the lysosomal apparatus and insulin-controlled metabolic pathways, and a potential role for lysosomal enzymes as indicators of the metabolic compensation in diabetes.