BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON ACID AND ALKALINE RIBONUCLEASE IN SERA OF WOMEN WITH DIFFERENT OVARIAN TUMORS

Acid and alkaline ribonuclease (RNase) activities have been assayed in (14) serum samples of women with histological confirmed ovarian carcinoma, (26) samples of women with benign ovarian tumors, and (27) serum samples of healthy women without any clinically detectable diseases. The mean values of acid and alkaline RNase specific activities were statistically increased in the cancer group (p 0.001) in comparison with those of other groups. The ratio of acid to alkaline RNase (Ac/Al) activities was statistically decreased in the cancer group as compared with those of other groups.Serum alkaline RNase levels were estimated in sera of the above mentioned groups using bovine pancreatic RNase (A), as a standard. A markedly increase in this level in sera of the cancer group was observed when matched with those of other groups. Different alkaline RNase forms were detected in sera of control, benign and malignant tumors groups using gel filtration chromatography (1.6  60 cm. Sephadex G75 column). The results indicate the presence of five different forms in each case, which were different in their molecular weights.