A Study of Urinary and Serum Lysozyme in Patients with Renal Disease

Abstract

LYSOZYME, a bacteriolytic enzyme discovered in 1922 by Sir Alexander Fleming,2 is found in a number of biologic fluids. The enzyme is a basic protein of low molecular weight that lyses susceptible bacteria by a reaction with cell-wall mucopolysaccharides releasing N-acetyl amino sugars and N-acetyl amino sugar-peptide complexes.3 Kidney contains more lysozyme activity than any other mammalian tissue,4 but little, if any, lysozyme activity is found in normal urine.5 , 6 Lysozymuria has been reported in some children with nephrotic syndrome7 and in some adults with renal disease,6 but no definitive evidence of the source of urinary lysozyme is available.In the . . .