The influence of Ukrain on the growth of HA-1 tumor in mice: The role of cysteine proteinases as markers of tumor malignancy

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.