Lysozyme, also known as muramidase, is an alkaline glycosidase enzyme with a molecular weight of approximately 15 kDa. It is produced by immune cells including granulocytes, monocytes, and macrophages, and plays a key role in the body’s innate immune defense by hydrolyzing bacterial cell walls, particularly targeting the peptidoglycan layer of gram-positive bacteria. In the gastrointestinal tract, intestinal granulocytes serve as the main source of fecal lysozyme, especially during inflammatory episodes.
In clinical and research settings, lysozyme serves as a valuable biomarker for detecting and monitoring intestinal inflammation. Its presence in stool correlates with the infiltration and activation of immune cells, particularly during flare-ups of inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease. Lysozyme can be found within the inflammatory infiltrate of affected gut tissue and is also actively secreted by mononuclear cells into the intestinal lumen, reflecting both cellular turnover and immune activity.
Fecal lysozyme measurement provides a non-invasive method to assess intestinal immune responses. Elevated levels can help differentiate between inflammatory and non-inflammatory bowel conditions, track disease activity, and evaluate response to treatment. Because of its specificity to granulocyte-driven inflammation, lysozyme is especially useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of Crohn’s disease, complementing other fecal biomarkers like calprotectin and lactoferrin.
This product is manufactured in Germany by Immundiagnostik AG.