PROTEIN AND ENZYME CHANGES IN COLD INJURY EDEMA

Protein and enzyme changes in the edematous white matter and the CSF were studied during the course of experimental cold injury edema. The edematous white matter showed an increase in total content of albumin which on disc gel electrophoresis separated as four distinct patterns and appeared even more complex in the two-dimensional fractionation patterns. No increase was noted in γ-globulins, although they revealed a greater variety, as compared with the normal white matter. In the CSF there was a persistent increase in percentage of γ-globulin. It is speculated that although there is an increased entry into the CSF of both albumin and globulin, the levels of the former are reduced to normal values by a selective resorption by the choroid plexus. Enzymatic assays on the edematous white matter revealed an increase in the levels of α-glycero-phosphate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. There was a marked decrease in lactic dehydrogenase and diphosphopyridine nucleotide diaphorase. In the CSF enzyme determinations showed up to 10-fold increase in lactic dehydrogenase levels with the highest values recorded in the fluid from the lateral ventricle underlying the edematous white matter. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.