INCREASE IN CIRCULATING LYSOZYME-LIKE ENZYME FOLLOWING SENSITIZATION OF GUINEA PIGS WITH MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS

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Abstract
The circulating concentrations of a lysozyme-like enzyme in guinea pigs injected with heat-killed tubercle bacilli (H37Rv) suspended in paraffin oil were significantly higher than those in normal animals. The increase in enzyme was found to occur early in the course of sensitization and to persist as long as 4 months, at which time there appeared to be no correlation between the amount of enzyme in the plasma and either skin hypersen-sitivity to tuberculin or susceptibility of leukocytes to lysis by PPD in vitro. Tuberculin skin testing of sensitized animals produced no significant alterations in the concentration of enzyme. Various mechanisms which might be responsible for elevated enzyme values following sensitization are discussed.