title: Protein synthesis in hepatocytes isolated from patients with gastrointestinal malignancy.
abstract: To investigate the effect of remote and proximate cancer on hepatic protein metabolism, we determined rates of total protein synthesis by hepatocytes (HPS) isolated from 31 patients undergoing liver wedge biopsy: 7 patients with benign disease, 14 with gastric cancer, and 10 with colorectal cancer (5 of whom had liver metastases). Patients with malignant disease without weight loss had a threefold higher rate of total HPS (4,980 +/- 814 pmol/h per 10(5) viable cells) than patients with benign disease without weight loss (1,278 +/- 318 pmol/h per 10(5) viable cells, P less than 0.001). Among the patients with gastric cancer, eight with preoperative weight loss had lower rates of HPS (380 +/- 90 pmol/h per 10(5) viable cells) than those without weight loss (4,061 +/- 401 pmol/h per 10(5) viable cells, P less than 0.002). The highest rates of HPS were seen in patients with colorectal cancer with liver metastases (8,005 +/- 1,975 pmol/h per 10(5) viable cells) vs. colorectal cancer patients without liver metastases (3,060 +/- 575 pmol/h per 10(5) viable cells, P less than 0.03). These data indicate that modulation of hepatic protein synthesis occurs in malignancy in man. However, the stimulatory influence of the tumor-bearing state may be overridden by the inhibitory effects of cachexia.
authors: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021.
authors: H F
authors: HF
authors: Starnes
authors: R S
authors: RS
authors: Warren
authors: M F
authors: MF
authors: Brennan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase