BONE TUMOURS AND THEIR ENZYMES

Abstract

1. Alkaline and acid phosphatase, non-specific esterase and beta-glucuronidase have been estimated and demonstrated histochemically in a series of bone tumours and allied lesions, of which ten were osteogenic sarcomata, ten were giant-cell lesions, eleven were fibroblastic lesions and seven were tumours of cartilage. 2. Osteogenic sarcoma was found to be characterised by high levels of alkaline phosphatase, with rich staining for this enzyme in the tumour cells. Similar high levels of alkaline phosphatase were found in other bone-forming lesions, such as fibrous dysplasia, a giant-cell sarcoma with osteogenic matrix, and fracture callus. 3. Giant-cell lesions were characterised by high levels of acid phosphatase, and intense staining for this enzyme in the osteoclasts. These cells were also found to be rich in non-specific esterase (as shown by the alpha-naphthyl acetate method) and in beta-glucuronidase, but almost or entirely lacking in alkaline phosphatase. High levels of alkaline phosphatase were not found in giant-cell lesions except in relation to osteogenic matrix. 4. Fibroblastic tumours were characterised by moderate levels of all four enzymes, with little or no staining for phosphatases in the tumour cells; non-specific esterase was generally present in a proportion of the cells. 5. In certain lesions intermediate stages in the differentiation of fibroblasts to osteoblasts were found, notably in fibrous dysplasia, in which the biochemical change preceded the histological. In such lesions high total levels of alkaline phosphatase were found. 6. Cartilaginous tumours were characterised by low levels of all four enzymes, and little histochemical staining except in hypertrophied cells in areas of ossification. 7. It was found in general that the enzyme distributions in these neoplasms and other lesions reflected the findings in comparable reactive and growing normal tissues.