Aldolase isoenzyme patterns during human ontogeny and in lung, kidney and breast cancer

Enzyme patterns characteristic of fetal tissue have been noted in some experimental tumor models, particularly in hepatomas. In this study we undertook to determine whether biochemical evidence of a similar reversion could be detected in tumors of other human organs. As marker, we chose to use the aldolase isoenzymes A, B and C, for which distinct adult and fetal tissue patterns have been described. Using monospecific antibodies, we determined the aldolase isoenzyme pattern in a variety of human organs ranging in age from 14 to 40 weeks of gestation, in the 2- to 3-month postnatal period and in adults. In addition, 19 breast cancers, 19 primary lung cancers and 8 kidney cancers were examined. Our studies on breast cancer revealed three apparently distinct groups -- one showing primarily the A isoenzyme type (6 cases), a second containing mainly A with considerable quantities of B and C isoenzymes (9 cases) and a third group (4 cases) which may contain a different isoenzyme altogether since the combined activity of the three known forms was less than 100% in each case. In lung cancer, fetal characteristics could be substantiated since in fetal and adult lung tissue, the isoenzyme pattern is almost identical; 3 out of 19 cases showed substantial quantities of the B isoenzyme. In kidney tumors, a reversion to the A form with an appreciable fraction of the C form was found, which is similar to the fetal pattern.