Changes of proteinase inhibitors in malignant diseases

• Published in: SEIBUTSU BUTSURI KAGAKU Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 157 - 163
• Main Authors: Kondo, Iichiro, Kodaira, Teruo, Matsuzaki, Minoru, Shioda, Yoshiro, Arita, Teiji, Tanaka, Toshihiko, Kayama, Joko, Hasegawa, Haruo, Aiba, Hiromichi, Mori, Chieko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japanese Electrophoresis Society 1978
• Subjects: cancer; proteinase inhibitor
• ISSN: 0031-9082; 1349-9785
• DOI: 10.2198/sbk.22.157

Serum proteinase inhibitors such as C1S-inhibitor (C1S-INH), α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT), antithrombin III (AT-III) and α2-macroglobulin (α2-M) were measured in 156 patients with malignant tumors of various organs. Results; 1. Generalized findings in all patients examined: C1S-INH and α1-AT increased and AT-III decreased as the stage of tumors progressed. A significant increase of α2-M was found exclusively in the male patients, but changes became unremarkable following the progression of illness. 2. Changes in each patient group with tumors of different organs: (a) α2-M significantly increased also in the female patients in advanced stage of cancer of the lungs. (b) AT-III rather increased in cancer of the cervix uteri. (c) α2-M significantly increased even in earlier stage of cancer of the urinary bladder. (d) AT-III remarkably decreased in cancer of the prostate. These changes of serum proteinase inhibitors are assumed to contribute beneficial environment for the growth of tumors.