Abstract
Serum protein bound carbohydrates especially sialic acid and hexose, are significantly increased in the patients with primary and metastatic liver carcinoma whereas they are decreased in liver cirrhosis. On the other hand, α1-acid glycoprotein, α1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin are markedly increased in the sera of the patients with liver carcinoma whereas α2-macroglobulin is decreased. However, it is interesting to note that serum α2-macroglobulin levels are apparently increased in the patients with progressive or active liver cirrhosis. These findings may suggest that the stimulation of B-lymphocyte function takes place in liver cirrhosis whereas the suppression of B-cell function takes place in liver carcinoma, because α2-macroglobulin is thought to be produced mainly by B-lymphocytes. Also, these results suggest that suppressor T-lymphocyte functions are decreased in liver cirrhosis whereas they are increased in liver carcinoma. In liver carcinoma, α1-acid glycoprotein produced from tumor tissues may play a role in the suppression of the progression of liver cancer, and in the repair of the immunological biodefense mechanisms in the course of development from liver cirrhosis to liver carcinoma. Finally, it is illustrated in this study that unmasked collagenolytic activities are markedly increased in the surrounding and adjacent tissues of human and experimental liver carcinoma when compared with normal controls. These results suggest that the production of collagenase (or procollagenase) is enhanced in their areas around the tumor due to unknown causes and the enzyme is masked and inactivated immediately by α-macro-globulins (α2-M and α1-M). These facts may be significant as the bio-defense mechanisms against the development of liver carcinoma.
