Sodium butyrate induced alterations in lysosomal enzyme activity

Treatment of cultured HeLa cells with 5 mM sodium butyrate causes an inhibition of growth as well as extensive chemical and morphological differentiation. Lysosomal enzyme activity changes have been associated with both normal and neoplastic growth as well as many aspects of the neoplastic process. The comparative ultrastructural results show that the butyrate-treated cells have a more extensive internal membranous system than the untreated cells, whereas other organelles seem unaffected by the butyrate treatment. Methods for the histochemical localization of lysosomal acid phosphatase show a twofold increase in particulate reaction product in the butyrate-treated HeLa cells. Isolation of lysosomes followed by a comparative enzyme analysis shows a two to three fold increase in acid phosphatase activity per cell after 24 h of butyrate treatment, as well as three to four fold increase in beta-glucuronidase activity. These increases reverse within 24 h of removal of the butyrate from the culture medium. These results as interpreted suggest that butyrate treatment may be preventing sublethal autolysis by arresting the leakage of the lysosomal enzymes from the lysosome into the cytosol and thus allowing the cell to chemically and morphologically differentiate.