Fumarase activity of human leukocytes and erythrocytes.

LTHOUGH fumarase was discovered by Einheck1 in 1919 and has subsequently been found to have a wide biological distribution, there are no reports to our knowledge of its activity in separated human beukocvtes. Fitmarase is one of the essential enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of carbohydrates, fatty acids and some amino acids via the citric acid cycle. Specifically, fumarase mediates the establishment of an equilibrium between fumaric acid and b-mabic acid.2 Because of the importance of this enzyme in cellular metabolism and the ease of “biopsying” the blood, it seemed pertinent to assay fitmarase activity in the leukocytes in leukemia as well as in other diseases. This