Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.1 (chymotrypsin)
 10,938 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A pancreatic carcinoma and liver metastases associated with marked elevation of the serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level were resected from a 57-year-old man. On microscopic examination, the tumor cells showed a predominantly acinar arrangement, with tubular and trabecular structures; in some foci it had features of a medullary pattern. Alpha-fetoprotein, lipase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and alpha 1-antitrypsin were strongly demonstrated in tumor tissue by immunohistochemical techniques. A biochemical analysis of AFP on affinity sepharose columns revealed that the AFP derived from the tumor tissues was similar to that of hepatocellular carcinoma. Ultrastructural study showed that most of the tumor cells had abundant rough endoplastic reticulum and numerous zymogen granules. No squamoid corpuscles, neuroendocrine granules, bile production, or bile canaliculi were recognized. These findings suggest that this unique tumor originated from acinar cells.
 ...
PMID:Alpha-fetoprotein-producing acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas. 137 64

Murine L5178Y-ML cells, when transplanted subcutaneously into the flank of (BALB/c x DBA/2)F1 mice, grew locally and always formed spontaneous metastases in the liver. Even after surgical removal of the primary tumour mass 5 or 7 days after tumour cell inoculation, all mice died due to liver metastases within 18 days. Using this model of tumour metastasis, we examined whether serine protease or deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) would affect metastasis. Spontaneous liver metastasis of L5178Y-ML cells was enhanced by systemic administration of alpha-chymotrypsin at 3, 4 and 5 days or at 5, 6 and 7 days after tumour cell inoculation. This result was consistent with a previous report on blood-borne lung metastasis. In contrast, systemic administration of DNase I at 3, 4 and 5 days or at 5, 6 and 7 days after tumour cell inoculation inhibited liver metastasis. Neither treatment affected primary tumour growth. An influence of DNase I on tumour cell arrest in the microvasculature of the liver was suggested by scanning electron microscopy. DNase I treatment resulted in a statistically significant prolongation of the survival period, however, the effect was not satisfactory. A more striking anti-metastatic treatment resulting in a greater prolongation of the survival period was achieved by combining surgical removal of the primary tumour mass with DNase I treatment. These results suggest that DNase I could be a potential therapeutic agent used in conjunction with surgery to prevent clinical blood-borne metastasis.
 ...
PMID:Deoxyribonuclease treatment prevents blood-borne liver metastasis of cutaneously transplanted tumour cells in mice. 842 81