SUPERNUMERARY FRACTIONS OF LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE IN TWO MALIGNANT GLIOMAS

A sixth band in the agar gel, starch gel and cellulose acetate membrane electropherograms of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was found in extracts from 2 of 33 surgical specimens of malignant gliomas. In each case the supernumerary fraction migrated just cathodic to LDH2 and so resembled the only other examples reported of single additional LDH bands in human tumours. This extra band was shown to differ from the X-band of testis and the supernumerary band of rat kidney but migrated, on starch, in the same relative position as a 7th, previously imdescribed, band that appeared in the testis extracts. The literature regarding additional LDH bands is reviewed. This work was carried out with financial support from the British Empire Cancer Campaign for Research and from the Medical Research Council. We thank Mr. Wvlie McKissock and Mr. Alan Richardson for providing the tumour specimens and Dr. W. A. Evans and Dr. M. R. Crompton for the histological details of case 1 and 2 respectively. © 1968, The British Empire Cancer Campaign for Research. All rights reserved.