Phosphofructokinase (PFK) isozymes in man. I. Studies of adult human tissues

Isozymic heterogeneity of human phosphofructokinase was investigated by means of ATP inhibition, immunoneutralization by antihuman muscle-type and antiliver-type phosphofructokinase antisera, solubility in (NH4)2SO4 solutions, and starch gel and polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis. The enzymes studied by these methods were purified from various normal and malignant human adult tissues by chromatography on blue Dextran Sepharose 4 B columns. From the results of these studied we suggest that three basic phosphofructokinase isozymes could exist: muscle-type, fibroblast-type, and liver-type isozymes. Muscle-type isozyme is the single form found in adult muscle, and is involved in the enzymes from heart, brain, red cell, and testis. Fibroblast-type isozyme is found mainly in the placenta, fibroblasts kidney, and some malignant tissues. Liver-type phosphofructokinase seems to be very definitely the predominant form in mature polymorphonuclear cells, platelets, and liver. Testis and red cell phosphofructokinase enzymes definitely include msucle-type aand liver-type subunits, associated in various hybrid forms.