Concentrations of Nucleic Acids and the Related Enzymes of Human Liver in Various Age
1966 Volume 3 Issue 4 Pages 283-288
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1966 Volume 3 Issue 4 Pages 283-288
In the previous paper, the authors showed the influence of aging on the nucleic acid metabolism induced by experimental burn in male mice of DDY strain. Estimating from results of the determination of nucleic acid concentration and 32P incorporation in-vivo, the increaced turn-over of nucleic acid metabolism in response to surgical stress appears to be less pronounced in liver tissue of aged animals than in the younger. However, to get any speculation about the nucleic acid metabolism in human liver, it might be necessary to get some informations cocerning the age-related changes of the concentration of nucleic acids and the related enzymes in human liver.
Therefore, the authors have determined quantitatively the concentrations of protein-nitrogen, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and the related enzymes of liver tissue in various age. Liver specimen was obtained during laparotomy in 14 cases (3 cases with gastric ulcer, 2 cases with cholelithiassi and 10 cases with non-advanced gastric cancer). The range of age in years was from 24 through 76, and none of all cases showed any hepatic disorder or imparied hepatic function. No clear change was found in the concentration of protein-N, DNA, alkaline ribonuclease and alkaline phosphomonoesterase between patients of the 3rd and 8th decades, and on the other hand, the concentration of RNA, acid ribonuclease, and acid phosphomonoesterase per wet weight were decreased in livers of patients above the 7th decade. The RNA: DNA ratio seemed to be, also, decerased in livers of aged patients.
The results could not mean the exact age-related change of nucleic acids in healthy human because the authors could not definitely exclude the influence of the malignant or benign lesion on the concentrations of nucleic acids or enzymes in the data described above. However, some age-related changes might be, possibly, reflected to the differences in the concentrations of nucleic acids and enzymes among those patients.
