Study of some lysosomal glycohydrolases in tumors of the nervous system

The specific activities of five glycohydrolases of lysosomal origin (β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, β-glucuronidase, β-galactosidase, α-mannosidase and α-fucosidase) were measured in different types of primary and metastatic tumors of the human nervous system. The activities of these hydrolytic enzymes in samples of tumor tissue were compared with those in the white matter of 'control' tissue. The specific activities of β-glucuronidase and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in each group of tumors than in normal cerebral matter. The activities of the other hydrolases were sometimes significantly increased in primary tumors, but not always. In metastatic tumors, they were also significantly higher (P < 0.01).