Differences in the enzymatic profile in human lymphoid tumors.

In order to evaluate the utility of enzyme galleries in the differential diagnosis of human lymphoid malignancies, we have determined ninety-three cytosolic enzymic activities in four human lymphomas (Hodgkin's disease, nodular esclerosing type; immunoblastic sarcoma, B-cell type; plasmacytoid lymphocytic lymphoma and prolymphocytoid transformation of B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia), using a semiquantitative colorimetric method. We found 27 discriminative enzymes among the samples. These enzymes were: one esterase (C4); two oxidases (beta-glucuronidase and alpha-fucosidase); twenty two arylamidases and two dehydrogenases). Our preliminary results seem to indicate that this methodology may be an important complement to the pathological and immunological studies in the diagnosis of the lymphoproliferative disorders.