THE ROLE OF LYSOSOMES IN CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY: I. A STUDY ON LYSOSOMAL ENZYMES IN YOSHIDA ASCITES SARCOMA CELLS

While investigating problems of cancer chemotherapy, it was felt that the concept of lysosomes has to be introduced for the better understanding of the degenerative process in the tumor cells caused by antitumor agents. In order to study the effects of antitumor agents in the lysosomes of Yoshida ascites sarcoma cells, examination was made on whether the acid deoxyribonuclease and acid phosphatase in the cells could satisfy the lysosome concept. Both free and total activities of acid deoxyribonuclease and acid phosphatase in nuclear fraction, heavy and light sediments of mitochondrial fraction, and supernatant were measured and acid deoxyribonuclease in Yoshida ascites sarcoma cells was proved to have been derived from lysosomes. On the other hand, no clearcut statement could be made that acid phosphatase was located only in the lysosomes.