POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN HIGH ARYL-HYDROCARBON HYDROXYLASE-ACTIVITY AND PRIMARY LUNG-CANCER AS ANALYZED IN CRYOPRESERVED LYMPHOCYTES

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 42  (12) , 5030-5037
Abstract
Blood samples from closely monitored patients were collected and coded over an 8 mo. period. Lymphocytes were isolated and cryopreserved at -190.degree.. Lymphocyte samples were simultaneously thawed, phytohemagglutinin activated, and analyzed for benz(a)anthracene-induced aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) levels, [3H]thymidine incorporation, and reduced NAD-dependent cytochrome b5 (cytochrome c) reductase activity. Determinations were made at both 96 and 120 h in culture, and peak activities were compared among a total of 51 individuals who expressed such lesions as squamous cell carcinomas (22%), adenocarcinomas (14%), oat cell carcinomas (6%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (22%), and other nonmalignant diseases. Of the 14 highest AHH/cytochrome c activities observed, all were found in patients with primary lung cancer. Mean AHH/cytochrome c activities were 0.89 for lung cancer patients (a total of 21) and 0.47 for noncancer patients (a total of 30) (P < 0.001). No relationship was observed between AHH/cytochrome c activity and age of patient, numbers of cigarettes smoked, family history of cancer, location or histological type of tumor, or level of phytohemagglutinin blastogenesis ([3H]thymidine cpm/cytochrome c). Whether the higher AHH levels are the cause or the result of the primary lung cancer remains to be determined.