[Hexosaminidase activity in cell lines, serum and urine of leukemia patients in childhood].

N-Acetyl-beta-D-Hexosaminidase (E.C. 3.2.1.30) activity was investigated in cell lines, urine and serum of leukemic children by various biochemical methods for its usefulness in classifying different types of leukemia. We demonstrated in our small series that the activity of the I-isoenzyme of hexosaminidase in serum was dependent on the amount of tumour burden at the beginning of induction therapy. However it was not specific for a certain type of leukemia. In contrast to other reports an increased hexosaminidase-I-activity was found not only in C-ALL-cell lines but also in a T-ALL. Furthermore our results exclude any diagnostic value of urine hexosaminidase for the classification of leukemias.