The hemolytic effects of organ and tumor extracts

Abstract

The object of the present investigation was to determine the causes of, or factors contributing to, the secondary anemias of malignant tumors. The material made use of was supplied by Dr. Beebe, and consisted of sarcomata artificially implanted in dogs. The method was to crush these tumors in a mortar, mix them with ten times their weight of salt solution, and then stir mechanically for several hours. The hemolytic effect of this extract was tested on a 1 per cent, emulsion of the red cells of dogs. Preliminary experiments were made with extracts of kidneys of dogs prepared in the same fashion. It was found that the cause of the variability in the hemolytic effect of organ extracts, which has been noted by previous observers, is the varying admixture of blood. Kidneys prepared bloodlessly, by perfusion with salt solution, are hemolytic only in very low dilution, and after a long latent interval. Kidneys suffused with blood are as a rule very much more active; occasionally less so. The effects of blood have been analyzed by the separate addition of serum, emulsions of white cells (from artificial abscesses), and of red cells after washing, to the bloodless kidney extract. In each case it was found that hemolysis was inhibited. The question therefore arises, why are kidneys suffused with blood as a rule more actively hemolytic than the bloodless organs? If their extracts are centrifuged, and all the solid particles, including the red cells, removed, it is found that the extracts are still deeply stained by hemoglobin.

This is due to the destruction and solution of red cells, which is inseparable from the process of preparing the extract. The next step, therefore, was to determine the effect of adding red cell constituents to the blood-less organ extracts. This was accomplished by adding red cells to distilled water, and then bringing the solution to the strength of normal salt solution.