5'-Nucleotide phosphodiesterase isoenzyme pattern in the serum of human hepatoma.

Abstract

Summary The isoenzyme patterns for 5′-nucleotide phosphodiesterase in human sera have been studied by the use of a 5′-(5-iodoindoxyl) nucleoside phosphodiester as a histochemical substrate after electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel support. Normal sera show two major, fast-moving bands and two weak, slow-moving bands. All six sera from patients having histologically identified primary hepatoma show an additional, fast-moving isoenzyme band compared to normal serum, and a benign liver adenoma serum shows no such additional isoenzyme band. Furthermore, this last, fast-moving isoenzyme is not seen in neonatal serum. Since these six cases of hepatoma sera are all negative with anti-α-fetoprotein serum by the double immunodiffusion test, the presence of this isoenzyme in these sera could be an alternate diagnostic aid.