A Comparison of the Histochemical Enzyme Pattern in Normal and Varicose Veins

Abstract

In order to study enzyme activity in the walls of healthy and diseased veins, sections were taken from the stripped varicose long saphenous veins of eight patients. These were subjected to histochemical enzyme investigations. These methods were used to determine levels and localization of lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, adenosine triphosphatase and the lysosomal enzymes, β-glucuronidase, non-specific esterases and acid phosphatase. The method and our findings are described. The results of these histochemical investigations demonstrate an increase in lysosomal enzyme activity in the walls of varicose veins as compared to that of normal veins. This increase is greater in the media than in the intima.

Enzymes responsible for energy metabolism demonstrated contradictory behaviour, with decline in the activity of such enzymes in the walls of varicose veins. This decline in enzyme activity was more marked in the intima than in the media and was especially noticeable in the histochemical demonstration of Ca⁺⁺-adenosine triphosphatase.