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Ribonuclease and Deoxyribonuclease Activities in Experimental and Human Tumors by the Histochemical Substrate Film Method^*

R. Daoust and Haruko Amano

( Laboratoires de Recherche, Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Hôpital Notre-Dame et Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada)

The ribonuclease and deoxyribonuclease activities of 65 experimental and human tumors (32 different types) have been examined by histochemical substrate film methods.

A same general pattern was obtained for the distribution of both nucleases in the various types of experimental and human tumors. The connective tissue stroma and the necrotic regions of the tumor masses showed various levels of nuclease activity, whereas the neoplastic cells showed no demonstrable activity. It appears that deficiencies in ribonuclease and deoxyribonuclease activities represent general properties of cancer cells.

The possible significance of the losses of nuclease activities in carcinogenesis is discussed.

^* This investigation was supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute of Canada to Dr. A. Cantero, Director of the Research Laboratories. Reports of this work were presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Association for Cancer Research held in Atlantic City in April, 1961, and April, 1962.

Research Scientist of the National Cancer Institute of Canada.

Present Address: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.

Received 7/14/62.