Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin in hepatocellular carcinoma / 国际肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP)is produced abnormally in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Vitamin K utilizing deficiency and the decreasing activity of vitamin K-dependent γ-glutamyl carboxylate and coenzyme may involve in production of DCP. The enzymes in bepatocellular carcinoma cells are failed in carboxylating all the ten glutamic acid residues in amino- terminus of prothrombin precursor to Gla and make the difference between DCP and prothrombin. DCP is considered to be the marker for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. DCP might also be one of the growth-promoting factors to carcinoma cells. Therefore, inhibition of DCP in hepatocellular carcinoma cells is considered to be the therapeutic method of blocking hepatocellular car-cinoma growth. Vitamin K and its analogs are found to have the functions of inhibiting hepatocellular carcinoma cell producing DCP. The mechanism may relate to the increase of γ-glutamyl carboxylase activity.