Sex steroid binding patterns in primary biliary cirrhosis complicated by hepatocellular carcinoma.
Owing to recent findings of certain unusual sex steroid binding in liver disease--particularly an allosteric biphasic pattern (pattern A) unique to the serum of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma--the serum binding characteristics for 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone were examined in serum samples from six patients with primary biliary cirrhosis who had developed hepatocellular carcinoma. In all serum samples taken after the development of tumour pattern A binding only was obtained, and in four cases in which earlier samples were also examined there was a transformation from the normal, non-specific binding pattern, or an allosteric plateau pattern seen in non-malignant liver disease (designated D and C respectively), to pattern A coincident with the rise in serum alpha fetoprotein. In one patient chemotherapy leading to a fall in alpha fetoprotein abolished pattern A binding, showing further its close association with tumour growth. The value of pattern A binding as a tumour marker in hepatocellular carcinoma warrants further study.
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011485:Protein Binding; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone