title: Expression of cysteine protease inhibitors stefin A, stefin B, and cystatin C in human lung tumor tissue.
abstract: In human lung tumor tissue specimen (n = 73) concentrations of stefins A and B were found to be increased 2.0-fold (p < 0.01) and 1.3-fold (p < 0.01), respectively, as compared to matched normal tissue. Stefin A and B concentrations were higher in primary tumors than in secondary tumors, i.e. metastases from other organs to the lung (p < 0.01; p < 0.05, respectively). Cystatin C concentrations were rather low and did not differ between tumor and normal tissue. Both concentrations of stefins did not correlate with TNM stages. Stefin A was higher in squamous cell carcinoma than in adenocarcinoma (p < 0.01), while stefin B did not show such a difference. At investigation of a relationship between survival probability of patients with primary tumors it was found that increased stefin B concentrations and total cysteine-protease-inhibitory activities but not stefin A concentrations were positively correlated with survival probability. It is concluded that stefins A and B are major contributors to the cysteine protease inhibitory activity in primary lung tumors. Stefin B proved to be a prognostic factor, especially in squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Thoraxklinik Heidelberg-Rohrbach, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ebert
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Werle
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jülke
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kopitar-Jerala
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kos
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lah
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abrahamson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spiess
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ebert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055312:Cystatin A; D055313:Cystatin B; D055316:Cystatin C; D015891:Cystatins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C525030:CST3 protein, human; C524994:CSTB protein, human; D055312:Cystatin A; D055316:Cystatin C; D015891:Cystatins; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; C026407:CSTA protein, human; D055313:Cystatin B