Alteration of aldolase isozymes in serum and tissues of patients with cancer and other diseases.

We studied the alteration of aldolase isozymes in the serum and tissues of patients with cancer and other diseases using radioimmunoassays specific for aldolase A, B, and C subunits. Aldolase B was predominantly found in adult liver, where aldolase A and C were distinctly low. Aldolase A and B showed almost the same concentration in fetal liver, while in neonatal liver aldolase B protein concentrations were much higher than aldolase A. In contrast, aldolase A was the predominant isozyme found in hepatoma and gastric cancer tissues, whereas aldolase B was distinctly low in hepatoma tissues, and extremely low in gastric cancer tissues. These results suggest that the aldolase A is a more fetal type of liver isozyme than the aldolase B and C, and aldolase B is a more differentiated type of liver isozyme than aldolase A and C. Serum FDP aldolase activities were elevated in half of patients with liver diseases, all patients with muscle diseases and a few patients with cancer. Serum aldolase A levels were elevated in patients with muscle diseases and cancer, but not elevated in patients with liver diseases. In contrast, serum aldolase B levels were elevated in patients with liver disease, but not elevated in patients with muscle diseases and other diseases without liver injury. Serum aldolase B levels showed a trend to decrease in cancer patients with normal GPT levels. Serum aldolase A/B ratios were significantly increased in cancer patients with normal GPT levels, whereas they showed the decreased levels in patients with liver diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)