Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology logoLink to Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology
. 1980 Aug;97(3):267–273. doi: 10.1007/BF00405778

The activity of the peroxide-metabolizing system in human colon carcinoma

G Baur 1, A Wendel 1
PMCID: PMC12253346  PMID: 7440627

Abstract

The major parameters of the peroxide-metabolizing system were investigated in eight human colon carcinoma excisions and compared with apparently non-neoplastic colon tissue from the same patients. The mean malondialdehyde level as an index of lipid peroxidation was 147 pmol/mg protein in carcinoma compared to 40 pmol/mg in healthy tissue. The following relations of specific activities in carcinoma and healthy tissue were found: superoxide dismutase 3.9 μg/mg protein (carcinoma): 2.4 μg/mg (healthy), glutathione peroxidase 23 mU/mg:10 mU/mg; GSH-transferase 38 mU/mg:25 mU/mg; catalase 2.3 mK/mg:4.1 mK/mg. The mean selenium concentration in carcinoma was 36 ng/mg protein compared to 24 ng/mg. The difference between carcinoma and normal tissue showed an overall-significance of p<0.002 for the whole set of data. No significant differences were found in GSH levels (12.6 nmol/mg protein in carcinoma: 9.4 nmol/mg in normal colon), GSSG levels (0.6 nmol/mg:0.7 nmol/mg) and in the protein content (70±23.5 mg/g wet tissue: 66±20 mg/g). It is concluded that the enhanced lipid peroxidation in tumor tissue may be due to peroxisomally generated H2O2 in conjunction with a lowered catalase activity.

Key words: Colon carcinoma, Lipid peroxidation, Catalase, Selenium, Glutathione

References

  1. Boyd SC, Sasame HS, Boyd MR (1979) High concentrations of glutathione in glandular stomach: possible implications for carcinogenesis. Science 205:1010–1012 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bozzi A, Mavelli I, Mondovi B, Strom R, Rotilio G (1979) Differential sensitivity of tumor cells to externally generated hydrogen peroxide. Role of glutathione and related enzymes. Cancer Biochem Biophys 3:135–141 [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chance B, Sies H, Boveris A (1979) Hydroperoxide metabolism in mammalian organs. Physiol Rev 59:527–605 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chasseaud LF (1979) The role of glutathione and glutathione-S-transferases in the metabolism of chemical carcinogens and other electrophilic agents. Adv Cancer Res 29:175–274 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Connock MJ, Kirk PR, Sturdee AP (1975) A zonal rotor method for the preparation of microperoxisomes from epithelial cells of guinea pig small intestine. J Cell Biol 61:123–133 [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Flohé L (1978) Glutathione peroxidase: facts and fiction. Ciba Found Symp (new ser) 65:95–113 [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Flohé L, Schlegel W (1971) Glutathionperoxidase IV: Intrazelluläre Verteilung des Glutathionperoxidase-Systems in der Rattenleber. Hoppe-Seyler's Z Physiol Chem 352:1402–1410 [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Frischer H, Ahmad T (1977) Severe generalized glutathione reductase deficiency after antitumor chemotherapy with BCNU (1,3-bischloroethyl-1-nitrosourea). J Lab Clin Med 89:1080–1091 [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Günzler WA, Kremers H, Flohé L (1974) An improved coupled test procedure for glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9) in blood. Z Klin Chem Klin Biochem 12:444–448 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Halliwell B (1978) Biochemical mechanisms accounting for the toxic action of oxygen in living organisms: the key role of superoxide dismutase. Cell Biol Int Rep 2:113–128 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Heath RL, Packer L (1965) Effect of light on lipid peroxidation in chloroplasts. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 19:716–720 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hübl P, Bretschneider R (1964) Die Titanylsulfatmethode zur Bestimmung der Katalase in Blut, Serum und Harn. Hoppe-Seyler's Z Physiol Chem 335:146–155 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lawrence RA, Parkhill LK, Burk RF (1978) Hepatic cytosolic non-selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity. Its nature and the effect of selenium deficiency. J Nutr 108:981–987 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lowry OH, Rosebrough MJ, Lewis F, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275 [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Michelson AM (1978) Biological aspects of superoxide dismutase. In: Pullman B (ed) Frontiers in physicochemical biology. Academic Press, New York, pp 309–355 [Google Scholar]
  16. Misra HP, Fridovich I (1977) Superoxide Dismutase: A photochemical augmentation assay. Anal Biochem 79:553–560 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Novikoff PM, Novikoff AB (1972) Peroxisomes in absorptive cells of mammalian small intestine. J Cell Biol 53:532–560 [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Peskin A, Koen YM, Zbarski LB, Konstantinov AA (1977) Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in tumors. FEBS Lett 78:41–45 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Pierce S, Tappel AL (1978) Glutathione peroxidase activities from rat liver. Biochim Biophys Acta 523:27–36 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Plaa GL, Witschi H (1976) Chemicals, drugs, and lipid peroxidation. Pharmacol Toxicol 16:125–141 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Prohaska JR, Ganther HE (1977) Glutathione peroxidase activity of glutathione-S-transferases purified from rat liver. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 76:437–445 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Schrauzer GN, White DA, Schneider CJ (1978) Selenium and cancer: Effects of selenium and of the diet on the genesis of spontaneous mammary tumors in virgin inbred female CH3H/St mice. Bioinorg Chem. 8:387–396 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Shamberger RJ (1970) Relationship of selenium to cancer I. Inhibitory effect of selenium on carcinogenesis. J Nat Cancer Inst 44:931–936 [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Sies H (1974) Biochemistry of the peroxisome in the liver cell. Angew Chem Int Ed 13:706–718 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Sies H, Wendel A, Burk RF (1980) Se- and non-Se-glutathione peroxidases: Enzymology and cell physiology. In: King RE, Mason HS, Morrison M (eds) Oxidases and related redox systems III. Academic Press New York (in press) [Google Scholar]
  26. Tappel AL (1978) Protection against free radical lipid peroxidation reactions. Adv Exp Med Biol 97:111–131 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Watkinson JH (1966) Fluorometric Determination of Selenium in biological material with 2,3-diaminonaphthaline. Anal Chem 38:92–97 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Wendel A (1980) Glutathione Peroxidase In: Jakoby WB (ed) Enzymatic basis of detoxication Academic Press, New York, pp 333–353 [Google Scholar]
  29. Weser U (1973) Structural Aspects and Biochemical Function of Erythrocuprein. Structure and Bonding 17:1–65 [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology are provided here courtesy of Springer

RESOURCES