[Formation of superoxide radicals by the nuclear membranes of human brain tumors].

It has been discovered that nuclear membranes isolated from human brain tumors are capable of cyanide-sensitive oxidation of adrenaline to adrenochrome in the presence of both NAD X H and NADP X H while the process of oxidation is inhibited by superoxide dismutase. At the same time nuclear membranes isolated from the brain tissue do not oxidize adrenaline to adrenochrome in the presence of both substrates. A possible relationship between the properties of the nuclear membranes and the degree of tumor malignancy is discussed.