title: Lysosomal proteases cathepsins D, B, H, L and their inhibitors stefins A and B in head and neck cancer.
abstract: In cytosols of tumour and normal tissue of 53 patients suffering from head and neck carcinoma cathepsins D, B, H and L were measured using quantitative immunoreactive assays (ELISA). The values of cathepsins D, B and L were significantly higher in tumour tissue, whereas cathepsin H concentration was lower in tumour than in normal tissue. Median cathepsin D values were 27 pmol (tumour tissue) vs. 12 pmol (normal tissue) per mg of total protein, median cathepsin B values were 1.25 micrograms/mg (tumour tissue) vs. 0.23 micrograms/mg (normal tissue) and median cathepsin L values were 39.8 ng/mg (tumour tissue) vs. 20.0 ng/mg (normal tissue). Median cathepsin H values were 1.05 micrograms/mg and 2.20 micrograms/mg for tumour and normal tissue, respectively. Additionally, stefin A and stefin B were measured in tumour and normal tissue samples. In contrast to the cathepsins, the concentrations of these inhibitors of cysteine proteinases was not significantly different between tumour and normal samples. The concentrations of cathepsins D, B, H and L and stefins A and B measured in head and neck tumours, were independent of standard clinical and histological prognostic factors. Significant correlation of tumour tissue values was observed between cathepsins B and L and between both stefins.
authors.affiliation: Jozef Stefan Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smid
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krasovec
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Svetic
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lenarcic
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vrhovec
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skrk
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Turk
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D055312:Cystatin A; D055313:Cystatin B; D015891:Cystatins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000201:enzymology*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: C524994:CSTB protein, human; D055312:Cystatin A; D015891:Cystatins; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; C026407:CSTA protein, human; D055313:Cystatin B; D002403:Cathepsins