ABSTRACT
Cysteine proteinases and their inhibitors probably play the main role in carcinogenesis and metastasis. The metastasis process need external proteolytic activities that pass several barriers which are membranous structures of the connective tissue which includes, the basement membrane of blood vessels. Activities of the proteinases are regulated by endogenous inhibitors and activators. The imbalance between cysteine proteinases and cystatins seems to be associated with an increase in metastatic potential in some tumors. It has also been reported that proteinase inhibitors, specific antibodies for these enzymes and inhibition of the urokinase receptor may prevent cancer cell invasion. Some proteinase inhibitor could serve as agents for cancer treatment.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/enzymology , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Genital Neoplasms, Female/enzymology , Peptide Hydrolases/metabolism , Cysteine/metabolism , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/metabolism , Endopeptidases/metabolism , Female , HumansABSTRACT
AIM: Cysteine peptidase (CP) and its inhibitor (CPI) are a matrix protease that may be associated with colorectal carcinoma invasion and progression, and vitamin E is also a stimulator of the immunological system. Our purpose was to determine the correlation between the expression of cysteine peptidases and their endogenous inhibitors, and the level of vitamin E in sera of patients with colorectal cancer in comparison with healthy individuals. METHODS: The levels of cysteine peptidases and their inhibitors were determined in the sera of patients with primary and metastatic colorectal carcinoma and healthy individuals using fluorogenic substrate, and the level of vitamin E was determined by HPLC. RESULTS: The levels of cysteine peptidases and their inhibitors were significantly higher in the metastatic colorectal cancer patients than that in the healthy controls (P<0.05). The activity of CP increased 2.2-fold, CPI 2.8-fold and vitamin E decreased 3.4-fold in sera of patients with metastasis in comparison with controls. The level of vitamin E in healthy individuals was higher, whereas the activity of cysteine peptidases and their inhibitors associated with complexes was lower than that in patients with cancer of the digestive tract. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the serum levels of CP and their inhibitors could be an indicator of the prognosis for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Vitamin E can be administered prophylactically to prevent digestive tract neoplasmas.
Subject(s)
Colorectal Neoplasms/metabolism , Cysteine Endopeptidases/blood , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/blood , Vitamin E/blood , Adult , Aged , Biomarkers , Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Colorectal Neoplasms/secondary , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , PrognosisABSTRACT
Enzymatic activity of cysteine peptidases (cathepsins B and L) --associated with carcinogenesis is controlled by their specific inhibitors. The study was objected to the effects enhanced by taxol and cisplatin in patients pretreated with the vitamin E, by determining the levels of cathepsins B and L in sera of patients with ovarian cancer. The activity of cysteine peptidase (CP) and their inhibitors (CPI) in serum from patients with ovarian cancer and noncancerous patients were measured by using fluorogenic substrate before and after the routine anticancer chemotherapy, and a complementary combination of chemotherapy with vitamin E. The cat B and L activities were significantly higher in patient sera with ovarian cancer than non-cancerous patients (0.0001 pounds sterling). The results shows that, inhibitory activity of CPI and complex form were significantly decreased from 4.6 mEU/mg protein in a group of non-cancerous patients to 0.7 mEU/mg protein in a group of patients with ovarian cancer (p < or = 0.0001). Supplementation with vitamin E after a cycle of therapy with toxic drugs caused a decrease of the cysteine peptidases activities, that is 2.8-fold in patients to whom 40 0mg of vitamin E per day was given in comparison with control, and 6-fold after the third course. The CPI and DCPI complex increased 3-fold and 2.3 fold respectively, as compared to a group of patients were vitamin E was not administered. We observed that vitamin E administered to the patients with ovarian cancer in periods between anticancer drugs therapy courses decreases the cysteine peptidases activity and increases the enzyme-inhibitor complexes level
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/drug therapy , Adenocarcinoma/enzymology , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Antioxidants/therapeutic use , Cathepsin B/pharmacology , Cathepsins/pharmacology , Ovarian Neoplasms/drug therapy , Ovarian Neoplasms/enzymology , Vitamin E/pharmacology , Vitamin E/therapeutic use , Adult , Cathepsin B/antagonists & inhibitors , Cathepsin B/blood , Cathepsin L , Cathepsins/antagonists & inhibitors , Cathepsins/blood , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic , Cisplatin/administration & dosage , Cysteine Endopeptidases , Drug Interactions , Enzyme Inhibitors/blood , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Paclitaxel/administration & dosageABSTRACT
We report a case of menstrual mature teratoma of ovary with implants of glial tissue in peritoneum and its adnexa. After resection of the tumour and omentum laparoscopic examination was performed and revealed reduction, fibrosis of glial implants and massive cellular reaction.
