DEOXYCYTIDINE AND DEOXYTHYMIDINE KINASE-ACTIVITIES IN PLASMA OF MICE AND PATIENTS WITH NEOPLASTIC DISEASE

Abstract

In C57BL .times. DBA/2 F1 (hereafter called BD2F1) mice inoculated with P815 [mouse mastocytoma] neoplasms and in AKR mice with spontaneously developing leukemia, significant amounts of plasma deoxycytidine and thymidine kinase activities were detected in advanced disease. Undetectable or low levels of such kinase activities were observed in normal BD2F1 and in control AKR mice. Initial studies with [human] leukemia patients revealed increased amounts of plasma deoxycytidine and thymidine kinase activities correlating favorably with the peripheral white blood cell counts. Initial studies with small numbers of patients with solid tumors revealed significant activities of both kinases in plasma of patients with 4 different cancers. Healthy volunteers revealed enzyme activities only insignificantly above background.