Changes inlymphocyte adenosine deaminase(ADA) and purine nucleoside phosphorylase(PNP) levels in lung cancer after radical surgery: 176

Abstract

Patients with solid tumors have low lymphocyte ADA levels, while operated patients without recurrence show normal levels(1). To elucidate whether ADA levels are restored by the surgical removal of tumor, we determined ADA and PNP activities in peripheral mononuclear cells(PMC),in T-enriched and T-depleted subpopulations from 13 healthy controls and from 6 patients with lung cancer before and 1 month after complete removal of tumor. Lymphocyte subpopulations were prepared by rosetting withSRBC. Before surgery the mean PMC ADA value (17.2±4.8 SD ,mU/107 cells)was significantly lower than the control value(24.8±4.9, P<0.01). ADA levels were lower than controls inbothT (18.1±5.1 vs.20.4±3.9) and non-T cells(24.4±5.1 vs.26.7±4.0) .After surgery ADA levels,compared to pre-surgery values ,were increased in PMC (24.2±2.2,P<0.025)and in T-enriched (25.7±7.9, P<0.05),but decreased in T-depleted subpopulations (19.9±6.7). PNP pre-surgery levels did not differ from control values in PMC, T-enriched or T-depleted subpopulations; after surgery, they showed a trend similar to ADA. In conclusion 1 month after radical surgery ADA levels are apparently restored in unseparated PMC, however an ADA increase is found in T-cells,while low levels persist in non-T cells. 1) Russo M. et al.: Br. J. Cancer 43 (1981), 196-200.