Increased Synthesis of Lactate Dehydrogenase "H" Subunit by a Malignant Tumor

Abstract

In a patient with a rapidly growing malignant teratoma in the anterior mediastinum, the only biochemical abnormality detected at first was an abnormally high serum lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27) activity, almost 50% of the activity being present in lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme-1 (LD1). At the time of death, the total lactate dehydrogenase activity had increased still further, 77% of it being in the LD1 fraction. Both the tumor and its hepatic metastases were shown to have a supranormally active LD1 fraction. These patterns appear to be attributable to an increased synthesis of the "H" subunit by the tumor.

The Value of LDH Isoenzymes in the Rapid Diagnosis of Brain Tumours

“…Richterich & Burger (1963) and Nissen & Bohn (1965) showed marked increases in the cathodal isoenzymes in all extracranial tumours which they investigated when compared with their tissues of origin and in the present investigation most of the metastatic tumours conformed to this pattern. However, a highly anodal pattern has been described in a malignant teratoma (Henderson, Ahmad & McKenzie, 1974).…”

The usefulness of lactate dehydrogenase measurements in current oncological practice

“…Although the mechanism regulating the expression of lactate dehydrogenase subunits and the synthesis of active tetramers is unknown, it is known that the ldha and ldhb genes are influenced by separate gene control regions [19][20][21][22][23]. The various genetic variants of the A and B subunits [23,84] observed in humans in no form known to date have been associated with neoplastic transformation, and although there was found an active LDH isoform (LDHK) with different structural and biochemical properties in human sarcomas, it was finally demonstrated that this enzyme, produced by cells infected with Kirsten virus, is fully encoded by the virus and used by it to control transcription [23,86]. Shim et al suggest that there are protein products of oncogenes such as myc, ras and src, commonly recognized as factors directly related to the tumor process, that have the ability to activate expression of the ldhaA gene [6].…”

“…↑ total LDH activity in serum [81] ↑ LDB expression in tumor tissue [82] Blood cancers: Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), Burkitt's lymphoma, Chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) ↑ total LDH activity and ↑ LD3 level in serum [54] ↑ total LDH activity in serum [23,54,58] Ewing's sarcoma LDHA expression in tumor tissue [23,83] Malignant teratoma ↑ LD1 level in serum [84] Forkasiewicz et al Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters (2020) 25:35…”

Serum lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme- 1 in children with yolk sac tumor

“…Both patients showed a good correlation between serum LDH-1 level and the tumor burden during treatment, namely, the elevated serum LDH-1 level decreased to within the normal range when the tumor regressed and disappeared following chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and increased again when the tumor recurred and progressed. In the terminal stage, serum LDH-1 level reached extremely high values, i.e., 93 8 showing normal serum LDH isoenzyme pattern, LDH-1 was predominant, accounting for 38.5% to 67.6%.…”