[Study on ATPase of tumor cells--I. A comparison of several ATPase activities]

The activities of several ATPases of the ascitic hepatoma cells in mice were compared. The activities of the total ATPase and mitochondrial Mg++-ATPase in normal liver cells were 50% and 140% higher than those in the hepatoma cells (P less than 0.001). However, the Na+, K+-ATPase activity in hepatoma cells was 170% higher than that in normal liver cells (P less than 0.01). The proportion of the activities of mitochondrial Mg++-ATPase, as well as Na+, K+-ATPase to their respective total ATPase in hepatoma cells was in disorder. The relation between the changes of the activity of different ATPases, their proportion and the abnormal metabolism as well as some characteristics of tumor cells are discussed.