Five cases of esophageal carcinoma, two of esophageal leukoplakia and one of carcinoma of tongue were investigated enzyme-histochemically.
Enzymes studied in the study were alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, β-esterase, aminopeptidase and β-glocuronidase as hydrolytic enzymes, and succinic dehydrogenase, lactic dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase, α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase glutamic dehydrogenase, βhydroxybutyric dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and isocitric dehydrogenase as oxidative enzymes.
The activity of alkaline phosphatase and aminopeptidase were negative in squamous cell carcinoma, but occasionally positive in stromal element, especially in that of infiltrating carcinoma.
Succinic dehydrogenase activity of normal esophageal epithelium was stronger in basal cell layer than in keratinized layer. Other NAD dependent enzymes of it showed a similar tendency. On the other hand the activity of NADP dependent glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase of it was stronger in keratinized layer than in basal cell layer.
Generally, these squamous cell carcinomas appeared weak enzyme activity, but glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity was rather stronger than other enzymes. Some infiltrating marginal area and small cell nestle of carcinomas showed rather strong activities of succinic, β-hydoxybutyric and malic dehydrogenases, also pearl formation revealed moderate activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.
Enzymatic activity in stromal element of all cases was very weak.
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