Enzyme activities in biopsy specimens from human gastric mucosa.

The distribution of a series of marker enzymes in the gastric mucosa was studied by analysis of homogenized biopsy specimens from the lesser and greater curvature of the body and antrum, respectively, obtained from 11 control patients. The activities varied significantly between the regions for the membrane enzymes lactase (p less than 0.0001), neutral-alpha-glucosidase (p less than 0.005), alkaline phosphatase (p less than 0.01), leucyl-beta-naphthylamidase (p less than 0.005), and 5'-nucleotidase (p less than 0.0001) and the lysosomal enzymes N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (p less than 0.0001) and acid beta-glucuronidase (p less than 0.0001), using analysis of variance modified for repeated measurements. When paired comparisons between regions were evaluated, the enzyme activities of the antral regions were significantly higher than those of the body stomach. The activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase, acid phosphatase, and the mitochondrial enzyme monoamine oxidase did not alter between regions, nor did the protein to DNA ratio. The demonstrated biochemical distinction between antrum and body of the stomach may be explained by different physiological and histological properties of the two parts.