Acinar cell carcinoma of rat pancreas. Glycoprotein composition and glycosidase activities.

Cancer cells in culture, and their corresponding nude mouse transplantable tumors, derived from azaserine-induced rat pancreatic acinar cell carcinomas showed a shift from high to low molecular weight glycoproteins when compared with normal, fetal, and regenerating pancreas. A 51,000-dalton glycoprotein was present only in the transplantable nude mouse tumors. Cancer cells and transplantable tumors showed elevated levels of glycosidases, and the former showed higher activities than the latter. Some of the glycosidase activities in host pancreas and liver were elevated.