Early systemic effects on the hepatic mitochondria of tumour bearing mice.

The activities of citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase, mitochondrial marker enzymes, were evaluated in the liver of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma-bearing mice during the life span of the inoculated animals. After 10 days of tumour transplantation, when cell proliferation has ceased, a 30-40% decrease of these activities was detected in both liver and kidney. Simultaneously, an increase in the total acidic proteinase activity (50-60%) was observed. The gel filtration profiles of liver proteinase activities from inoculated animal extracts displayed different patterns to those of the controls; low molecular weight proteinase activities appear to be enhanced in the livers of tumour-bearing animals.