GLYOXALASE ACTIVITIES IN TUMOR AND NONTUMOR HUMAN UROGENITAL TISSUES

Glyoxalase I and glyoxalase II activities have been measured in human tumor and non-tumor samples of 15 kidneys, 15 bladders, 4 testes, 2 ad renals as well as in 4 samples of prostatic adenomas. In all tissues e xamined glyoxalase I and glyoxalase II activity values varied widely f rom one patient to another. No significant difference in glyoxalase I activity between the tumor and non-tumor samples was found. When compa rison was made between normal and neoplastic tissues of the same patie nts, glyoxalase I activity was found to be lower in tumor tissues of 1 0 out of 15 kidneys, and 2 out of 8 bladders and 1 out of 3 testes. A significant (P < 0.004) decrease of glyoxalase II activity was found o nly in tumor kidney. The possibility of using the present data to pred ict the relative sensitivity of human tumor tissues to glyoxalase-rela ted chemotherapy is discussed.