Molisch-positive Mucopolysaccharides of Gastric Cancers as Compared with the Corresponding Components of Gastric Mucosae

Abstract

1. Group mucopolysaccharides MPSs I, cancerous and non-cancerous, in the First Report were examined physically, chemically and biologically. 2. Noticeable findings will be enumerated. i. The cancerous group A and B substances are very weak in group A or B activity, in contrast with the corresponding non-cancerous group substances. ii. The cancerous mucopolysaccharides differ in composition from the non-cancerous, the sialic acid contents of the former being higher than those of the latter and the glucosamine/galactosamine ratio remaining the same irrespective of blood group in the former but varying from group to group in the latter. iii. The cancerous substances rotate sodium-light in resembling grades and that more to the left than the non-cancerous, while the non-cancerous are differently levorotatory depending on blood group. iv. The molecular weight of the cancerous group A mucopolysaccharide is lower than that of the non-cancerous substance of the same blood group. v. MPSs I are toxohormone active, though weak.