Pyruvate kinase isozymes in man. I. M type isozymes in adult and foetal tissues, electrofocusing and immunological studies.

Anti human M2 type and anti human L type pyruvate kinase sera allowed us to distinguish two groups of pyruvate kinase in man. Erythrocyte and liver (L type) enzymes on the one hand were inhibited by anti L and not all by anti M2 serum; pyruvate kinase from all the other tissues on the other hand were inhibited by anti M2 and not at all by anti L serum. This latter group represent the M type pyruvate kinase isozymes. The M type isozymes have been studied by electrofocusing in thin layer acrylamide-ampholine gel. In adult tissues 4 types of isozymes were found, designated, from acid to alkaline pH, as M2 (predominant form in spleen, leukocytes, lung...), M3, M4 and M1 (predominant form in muscle and brain). In foetal tissues an extra band M2, called M2f, more anodic than M2, was added to the previously described isozymes. Except in brain (in which the isozymes M2, M3, M4 and M1 were found), the most anodic bands (M2f, M2 and M3) were predominant in all the foetal tissues. The isozymes M2f and M2 seem therefore to be the original M type pyruvate kinase forms from which the other isozymes issue. The rate of each isozyme seems to depend on tissue factors characterizing the state of differentiation of some tissues, as indicated by the ability of adult muscle extracts to change the isozymes M2 and M3 into more cathodic forms.