Ig. Svechnikova et al., The influence of Ukrain on the growth of HA-1 tumor in mice: The role of cysteine proteinases as markers of tumor malignancy, DRUG EXP CL, 24(5-6), 1998, pp. 261-269
The influence of Ukrain (exerting a malignotoxic effect in vivo according t
o Nowicky J.W. et al. [1]) on the growth of Hepatoma A (HA-1) tumors in mic
e and cysteine proteinases as markers of tumor growth and malignancy was st
udied. Ukrain administration (0.5 mg per mice of 20 g, in each of 5 i.p. in
jections) resulted in a reproducible and significant retardation of HA-1 tu
mor growth in the liver and a prolongation of lifespan compared with the un
treated control. Repeated Ukrain administration to mice increased the numbe
r of macrophages in ascites, decreased the number of tumor cells, and conco
mitantly reduced the increased level of monocytes in peripheral blood. In a
scitic cells the specific activity of cathepsin B was higher than in the in
tact liver and was not influenced by Ukrain; activity of cysteine proteinas
es studied in ascitic fluid was much higher than that in serum. Tumor growt
h was followed by a decrease in cathepsin B activity in the liver and serum
at day 10. Ukrain administration has a tendency to normalize the disturban
ces of cathepsin B activity during tumor development The cathepsin L activi
ty changes in ascitic fluid were more impressive than those of cathepsin B,
indicating the special role of this cysteine proteinase in HA-1 tumor grow
th and invasiveness. The role of cysteine proteinases as markers of tumor m
alignancy and invasiveness is discussed.