Characterization of lysosomal acid phosphatase from normal and malignant mammary tissue.

Acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) isoenzyme 3 was purified from normal and malignant human mammary tissue and its properties in each were compared. The relative molecular mass of each was 53 000, as measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Several phosphomonoesters are good substrates for the isoenzymes, whereas organic and inorganic pyrophosphates and phosphoryl choline are hydrolyzed very slowly or not detectably. The optimum pH for interaction of these isoenzymes with p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate ranges from 3.5 to 4.5. L-(+)-Tartrate is a very strong inhibitor, Ki = 0.028 +/- 0.04 mmol/L (mean +/- SE), as are mercuric and fluoride ions in low concentrations. We conclude that type 3 isoenzymes obtained from normal and malignant tissue are very similar, though the malignant tissue appears to have a greater proportion of this type than does normal tissue.

Stability of c-K-ras amplification during progression in a patient with adenocarcinoma of the ovary.

We have identified a case of serous cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary in which the tumor cells display an amplification (from 10- to 20-fold) of the cellular oncogene K-ras. Normal cells purified from the malignant ascites did not show such amplification. Five consecutive samples were obtained by paracentesis over a 9-month period during which the patient received chemotherapy and underwent clinical progression. The level of c-K-ras amplification in the tumor cells did not change during this period. In studies of the tumors of 6 additional patients with adenocarcinoma of the ovary and 5 cell lines of the same histology, we have detected no other example of significant c-K-ras amplification.

A prostatic-like acid phosphatase is present in human lactating milk.

The presence of a prostatic-like acid phosphatase is reported in human lactating milk. Its activity is associated with skim milk and it could be separated from the other acid phosphatases only after Triton X-100 treatment. By all the criteria applied, it appears to be very similar to prostatic acid phosphatase. An approximate molecular weight of 96 000 was measured for the native enzyme, which is inhibited by L-(+)tartrate and has similar electrophoretic migration. Besides, it hydrolyzes choline-o-phosphate very well and cross-reacts with an antibody anti-prostatic acid phosphatase. This prostatic-like acid phosphatase has also been detected in a human mammary carcinoma from a lactating patient.

A high-molecular weight complex with acid phosphatase activity in human breast cancer.

The presence of a high-molecular weight complex with acid phosphatase activity in the cytosol of human mammary tumors is reported. This complex appeared in the cytosol after tissue homogenization in the presence of dithiotreitol, with or without Triton X-100 and at acidic or neutral pH. Upon gel electrophoresis, this fraction showed only one band of enzyme activity which did not enter the fine pore gel. Lubrol or n-butanol had no apparent effect on this complex, and 8 M urea or 2% sodium dodecyl sulfate did not disaggregate this large molecule. After purification by gel filtration, ammonium sulfate precipitation and ion-exchange chromatography an apparent molecular weight or 10(6) was measured. It hydrolyzed typical acid phosphatase substrates such as p-NPP and alpha-NP, but also ATP and PPi. Only 44% inhibition was observed with L-(+)tartrate and it was still 40% active after 1 hr incubation at 60 degrees C. Reduction in the presence of SDS yielded several polypeptide bands. It was also detected in some samples of normal mammary tissues, but not in normal human placenta or liver.

Acid phosphatase in human breast cancer tissue.

When the total acid phosphatase (AP) activity of mammary carcinoma was compared with those of benign pathology and normal mammary tissue the results showed statistically significant differences (P less than 0.05) when expressed per milligram of protein: 358 +/- 42 nmoles per hour (mean +/- standard error) in the malignant tumor, 216 +/- 30 in the benign pathology, and 96 +/- 45 in normal tissue and when expressed per milligram of DNA: 1858 +/- 234, 1227 +/- 140, 695 +/- 345 nmoles per hour, respectively. The polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic profiles showed different levels of isoenzymes 3 and 4 in the three tissue groups. The appearance of isoenzyme 1 is reported after treatment of the homogenates with 5% Triton X-100. It was also found by counterimmunoelectrophoresis that the 28,000 Xg mammary tumor supernatant cross reacts with an antiserum raised against AP isoenzyme 2 although the mammary tissue does not contain such an isoenzyme. To elucidate this point, isoenzymes 1, 3 and 4 were separated by columns of Sephadex G-200 and DEAE-Sephadex. By counterimmunoelectrophoresis, it was observed that only the fraction containing isoenzyme 4 cross-reacted with the antiserum anti-AP isoenzyme 2 maintaining the catalytic activity.