The level of lipid peroxidation products and the content of glutathione in erythrocytes of rats with Morris 5123 hepatoma at different stages of tumor development were examined. The content of endogenous malondialdehyde (MDA) was increased throughout all periods of tumor development as compared to the results for healthy rats. From the extent of MDA generation under oxidative stress we concluded that erythrocytes of Morris 5123 hepatoma bearing rats were more susceptible to autoxidation than those from control rats. The content of reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) was increased at the early stage of tumor growth. At the advanced stage of the disease both the content of GSH and the GSH/GSSG ratio were decreased while the content of GSSG remained at the elevated level.
Changes in the content of N-acetylneuraminic acid in rat erythrocyte membranes at different stages of experimental tumour (Morris hepatoma 5123) development were examined. Its content was lowered on the 30th and 40th day after transplantation of the tumour cells, as compared to the results for normal healthy rats. As a result of the tumour growth, the content of N-acetylgalactosamine, galactose and mannose in rat erythrocyte membranes became lowered, whereas that of glucose remained unchanged. The content of fucose was raised at early stage of tumour growth, and remained at this high level till the 40th day of experiment.
In erythrocytes of rats bearing Morris hepatoma 5123 the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase as well as the level of reduced glutathione increased on the 10th day after transplantation of the tumor. In the second phase of the tumor growth (20 days after transplantation), the activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and the level of reduced glutathione in erythrocytes of the experimental animals were lower than in controls, whereas the activity of superoxide dismutase was at that time higher than in controls. On the other hand, the activity of catalase did not significantly differ from that found in healthy rats.
The erythrocytes from Morris Hepatoma 5123 bearing rats took up Na+ and K+ ions from the incubation medium and released Na into the extracellular space at lower rates than did erythrocytes from intact control rats* The lipid composition of erythrocytes membranes from the tumor-bearing rats differed from that of membranes from unaffected rats, showing increased contents of phospholipid phosphorus and a decreased content of cholesterol, resulting in decreased choleste- rol: phospholipid molar ratios.