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The Effect of Tumor Growth on Liver Catalase Concentration

( Biochemical Institute of the University of Texas, and the Clayton Foundation for Research, Austin, Tex.)

A study was made of the effect of tumor growth on the concentration of liver catalase in mice and in chick embryos supporting the growth of yolk sac tumors.

A total of 80 DBA mice was used, the experimental groups of which bore transplants of a mammary carcinoma, a sarcoma, a lymphosarcoma, and a spontaneous mammary carcinoma.

Tests were completed on the livers of 44 chick embryos. The tumor-bearing eggs had been inoculated in the yolk sac with a DBA mammary carcinoma, a C3H mammary carcinoma, and a rat sarcoma.

There was a reduction in liver catalase activity in association with tumor growth in both the embryo and mouse series of experiments when the enzyme activity was based on unit weight of liver for experimental and control group.

The total liver catalase of the tumor-bearing mice and of the embryos supporting tumors tended to be unaffected or slightly higher than that of the corresponding controls.

It is suggested that, since the presence of a turmor in an animal is associated with changes in the liver which result in an increase in weight without a corresponding increase in active liver tissue, the effect is to dilute the per milligram catalase concentration. The increase in liver size compensates for the dilution effect, so that the total liver catalase activity is relatively unaffected.

Received 3/19/51.