Premium
The Origin of the Elevated Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase in Megaloblastic Anaemia
Author(s) -
Emerson Pauline M.,
Withycome Wendy A.,
Wilkinson J. H.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1967.tb08831.x
Subject(s) - lactate dehydrogenase , bone marrow , megaloblastic anemia , medicine , haemolysis , endocrinology , kidney , chemistry , dehydrogenase , enzyme , isozyme , biology , biochemistry , immunology , vitamin b12
SUMMARY The high serum lactate dehydrogenase activity found in megaloblastosis is almost entirely due to major increases in the anodic isoenzymes. Since the cathodic fractions predominate in the liver, gastric mucosa, lymphatic tissue and peripheral leucocytes these tissues are unlikely to be responsible for the raised serum activity. Of the tissues rich in anodic isoenzymes, the heart and kidney are not considered to be important contributors since, in the case of the former, there is no associated increase in aspartate transaminase activity, and the latter does not undergo major tissue damage in megaloblastosis. The amount of peripheral haemolysis which occurs in pernicious anaemia is not considered to account for more than a small part of the increased enzyme activity in the serum. The lactate dehydrogenase of megaloblastic bone marrow consists principally of anodic isoenzymes whereas that of normal marrow is largely cathodic, and the very high rate of destruction of immature and abnormal erythroid precursors in the bone marrow of patients with megaloblastosis is considered to be the most likely source of the raised serum enzyme activity.