N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase in lymphocytes of patients with Hodgkin's disease, plasma cell myeloma and primary polycythemia.

The N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase activity was cytochemically determined in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of ten patients with Hodgkin's disease, ten with plasma cell myeloma and ten with primary polycythemia as well as in 20 healthy controls. In all the patients studied a significant decrease in the enzyme-positive cell count with decrease of the intracellular content of enzyme-positive cell count with decrease of the intracellular content of enzyme-positive lysosomal granules was noted. These alterations were more marked in the patients with Hodgkin's disease.