Monocyte secretion of beta-hexosaminidase in patients with obstructive jaundice.

Monocyte hydrolases are harmful when secreted inappropriately. In this study we have investigated the levels of one of the hydrolases. beta-hexosaminidase in patients with obstructive jaundice. These patients showed markedly elevated plasma levels, and their monocytes show increased spontaneous secretion and total enzyme content. The plasma enzyme levels correlate with monocyte enzyme content as well as bile salt, and bilirubin levels, the high levels may also reflect Kupffer cell damage, as these cells clear the enzyme. Compared with controls monocytes from jaundiced patients show reduced enzyme secretion after PMA stimulation, in vitro, and unchanged secretion after zymosan stimulation. There is a difference between plasma enzyme levels in benign and malignant patients but this does not provide a clear distinction between the two groups. We conclude that patients with obstructive jaundice have increased blood level of beta-hexosaminidase, and that activated monocytes partly contribute to this change.