Effect of hyperplasia and neoplasia on the activity and distribution of some dehydrogenases in the human thyroid gland

Abstract

PREVIOUS work in this Department has shown increased activities of certain dehydrogenases and nucleases in cancers of the human cervix uteri and breast (Goldberg and Pitts, 1966;Ayre and Goldberg, 1966;Goldberg, Pitts and Ayre, 1967). No differences were observed between simple breast tumours and normal tissue but many of the features found in the cancers were present in tissues showing diffuse epithelial hyperplasia. It seemed of considerable interest to determine whether these changes were generally characteristic of hyperplastic and neoplastic human epithelial tissues. The thyroid gland appeared a suitable organ in which to study the enzymological and cytochemical changes in which we were interested. Dow and Allen (1961), Schussler and Ingbar (1961), and Dumont and his associates (Dumont and Tondeur-Montenez, 1965; Dumont and Eloy, 1966; Dumont, 1966) have already presented evidence concerning the involvement of dehydrogenase enzymes and the energy pathways through which they operate in the metabolism of the thyroid gland in animals, although these studies have dealt mainly with the role of trophic hormones on various metabolic processes.The present communication is concerned with our observations on the activity and distribution of dehydrogenases in hyperplastic and neoplastic diseases of the human thyroid gland and on the effect of these diseases upon the distribution of protein in the cytoplasm. Data on the nucleases are presented in a second report (Goldberg and Goudie, 1968). MATERIALS AND METHODSThe thyroid tissues used for study of the distribution of enzymes and cytoplasmic protein were fresh surgical specimens obtained within 30 minutes of removal from 5 categories of subjects.Normal.-Eleven samples of histologically normal tissue were obtained from patients in whom the purpose of operation was removal of a thyroid adenoma or cancer.Thyrotoxic.-Twenty specimens were obtained from patients who pre-operatively had received antithyroid drugs and iodine. These glands showed epithelial hyperplasia and areas of focal thyroiditis. While these changes were fairly uniform within a single gland, considerable histological variation from one gland to another was encountered.