Activity of some respiratory and lysosomal enzymes of lymphocytes in golden hamster with induced melanoma.

A considerable increase in activity of the following enzymes: succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), beta-hydrogenase (beta-HBDH), cytochrome oxidase (CO), and acid phosphatase (AP) was found in lymph nodes lymphocytes after 1 week of malignant melanoma passage in golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus Waterhouse). The peripheral blood lymphocytes displayed, too, an increase in activity of all the enzymes mentioned except beta-HBDH and SDH. After 3 weeks of the melanoma growth, the animals affected showed a considerable decrease in activity of all the enzymes studied both in the lymph nodes and in the peripheral blood. The increase in enzymatic activity during the initial phase of tumour growth may be a manifestation of biological activation of the cellular defence of lymphocytes. On the other hand, the decrease in the activity seen at the advanced phase of the disease speaks for an impaired immune response.