Editing Lysozyme (section)

== Role in disease and therapy ==
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Lysozyme is part of the innate immune system. Reduced lysozyme levels have been associated with [[bronchopulmonary dysplasia]] in newborns.<ref name="pmid1640295">{{cite journal | vauthors = Revenis ME, Kaliner MA | title = Lactoferrin and lysozyme deficiency in airway secretions: association with the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia | journal = The Journal of Pediatrics | volume = 121 | issue = 2 | pages = 262–270 | date = August 1992 | pmid = 1640295 | doi = 10.1016/S0022-3476(05)81201-6 | url = https://zenodo.org/record/1259643 }}</ref> Piglets fed with human lysozyme milk can recover from diarrheal disease caused by ''E. coli'' faster. The concentration of lysozyme in human milk is 1,600 to 3,000 times greater than the concentration in livestock milk. Human lysozyme is more active than hen egg white lysozyme. A [[Transgenesis|transgenic]] line of goats (with a [[Founder effect#Founder mutation|founder]] named "Artemis") were developed to produce milk with human lysozyme to protect children from diarrhea if they can't get the benefits of human breastfeeding.<ref name="pmid23516474">{{cite journal | vauthors = Cooper CA, Garas Klobas LC, Maga EA, Murray JD | title = Consuming transgenic goats' milk containing the antimicrobial protein lysozyme helps resolve diarrhea in young pigs | journal = PLOS ONE | volume = 8 | issue = 3 | pages = e58409 | year = 2013 | pmid = 23516474 | pmc = 3596375 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0058409 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2013PLoSO...858409C }}</ref><ref name="Artemis_2016">{{cite web | vauthors = Molteni M | title = Spilled Milk | work = Case Studies: News Features | publisher = Undark: Truth, Beauty, Science | date = 30 June 2016 | url = http://undark.org/article/gmo-goats-lysozyme-uc-davis-diarrhea/ | access-date = 2017-01-12 }}</ref>

Since lysozyme is a natural form of protection from [[Gram-positive bacteria|Gram-positive]] pathogens like ''[[Bacillus]]'' and ''[[Streptococcus]]'',<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Nester EW, Anderson DG, Roberts CE, Nester MT | title = Microbiology: A Human Perspective |year = 2007 | publisher = McGraw-Hill Higher Education | location = Boston, Mass. | isbn = 978-0-07-110706-8 | edition = 5th }}</ref> it plays an important role in immunology of infants in human milk feeding.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Chandra RK | title = Immunological aspects of human milk | journal = Nutrition Reviews | volume = 36 | issue = 9 | pages = 265–272 | date = September 1978 | pmid = 362248 | doi = 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1978.tb07393.x }}</ref> Whereas the skin is a protective barrier due to its dryness and acidity, the [[conjunctiva]] (membrane covering the eye) is, instead, protected by secreted enzymes, mainly lysozyme and [[defensin]]. However, when these protective barriers fail, [[conjunctivitis]] results.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

In certain cancers (especially myelomonocytic leukemia) excessive production of lysozyme by cancer cells can lead to toxic levels of lysozyme in the blood.  High lysozyme blood levels can lead to kidney failure and low blood potassium, conditions that may improve or resolve with treatment of the primary malignancy.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

Serum lysozyme is much less specific for diagnosis of sarcoidosis than serum angiotensin converting enzyme; however, since it is more sensitive, it is used as a marker of sarcoidosis disease activity and is suitable for disease monitoring in proven cases.<ref name="pmid10192763">{{cite journal | vauthors = Tomita H, Sato S, Matsuda R, Sugiura Y, Kawaguchi H, Niimi T, Yoshida S, Morishita M | title = Serum lysozyme levels and clinical features of sarcoidosis | journal = Lung | volume = 177 | issue = 3 | pages = 161–167 | year = 1999 | pmid = 10192763 | doi = 10.1007/pl00007637 | s2cid = 3999327 }}</ref>