MEASUREMENT OF SERUM PSP REG-PROTEIN CONCENTRATION IN VARIOUS DISEASES WITH A NEWLY DEVELOPED ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, based on two monoclonal antibodi es (Hreg1-1 and Hreg101-1) specific for pancreatic stone protein (PSP) /reg-protein, was developed to determine the concentration of this pro tein in serum from individuals with various diseases. The serum concen tration of PSP/reg-protein was significantly higher in patients with v arious pancreatic diseases than in normal controls, and was also signi ficantly higher in patients with acute pancreatitis or chronic relapsi ng pancreatitis than in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Furthermor e, the serum PSP/reg-protein concentration was also significantly incr eased in liver cirrhosis, choledocholithiasis, and various cancers of the digestive system, and was extremely high in all patients tested wi th chronic renal failure. A significant correlation was apparent betwe en the serum concentration of PSP/reg-protein and elastase-I in 68 pat ients with chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. Whereas only 7 o f these patients showed a normal serum PSP/reg-protein concentration a nd a significantly increased elastase-I concentration, 15 of these pat ients showed a significantly increased serum PSP/reg-protein concentra tion and a normal serum elastase-I concentration. These results indica te that the serum PSP/reg-protein concentration may reflect pancreatic damage, especially in acute pancreatitis, and may be as sensitive a m arker for such damage as elastase-I, although false positivity was app arent in renal failure and in some patients with hepatic dysfunction o r digestive system malignancies.