Biochemical and clinical-diagnostic significance of the acid sphingomyelinase enzyme in multiple sclerosis and parkinson’s disease
Bulgarian Medical Journal, 2023, 17(3), 39-43.
A. Miteva1, M. Mihailova1, I. Marinov2, M. Koyumdzhieva2
1 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, MU – Pleven
2 ”Avis Medica” Medical Center – Pleven
Abstract. The study of the acid sphingomyelinase enzyme in blood serum of patients with Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease would contribute to the early diagnosis of these diseases. The biochemical mechanism gives reason to consider that increased enzyme activity of sphingomyelinase could be an indicator of degeneration of myelin sheaths or cell apoptosis. The pathological increase in ceramide is due, according to the latest scientific research, to an increased activity of the enzyme sphingomyelinase. Sphingomyelinases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin to ceramide and phosphorylcholine. They have been known for many years, but in the last decade they have become the subject of renewed interest after the discovery of the sphingomyelin signal transduction pathway. A study of the enzyme activity of acid sphingomyelinase in patients with multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease would contribute to clarifying the role of this enzyme, early diagnosis and increasing the analytical criteria for remission in these diseases. The pathological increase of ceramide under the action of the acid sphingomyelinase enzyme gives reason to analyze the clinical diagnostic value of this enzyme.
Key words: sphingomyelinase, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, enzyme activity, ceramide, neurodegenerative diseases
Address for correspondence: Assist. Prof. Aleksandra Miteva, е-mail: alex@ardorplatform.eu