Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Decreased activity of scavenger enzymes in human hepatocellular carcinoma, but not in liver metastases

  • Originals
  • Published:
International Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Research

Summary

To investigate the role of oxygen free radicals in hepatocellular carcinoma we assayed tissue scavenger enzymes (superoxide dismutase and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase) in liver homogenate, plasma concentrations of vitamins A and E and the serum selenium level from 19 control patients, 23 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma and 18 cases of metastases to liver from different carcinomas. In hepatocellular carcinoma tissue the enzyme activities were all significantly lower than in control liver and in metastases-bearing liver; the enzyme activities of the latter tissues were not different from control liver. In contrast, normal liver adjacent to the hepatocellular carcinoma had decreased activity of superoxide dismutase. Serum selenium concentrations were significantly decreased in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and those with liver metastases, while vitamin A was significantly decreased only in the former. These findings suggest that hepatocellular carcinoma develops in liver with severe impairment of cellular antioxidant systems, since, in patients with liver metastases from different cancers, despite low selenium concentrations, cellular scavenger enzymes have normal activities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bannister WH, Federici G, Heath JK, Bannister IV. Antioxidant systems in tumor cells: the level of antioxidant enzymes, ferritin and total iron in a human hepatoma cell line. Free Radic Res Commun 1: 361, 1986

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Cerutti PA. Prooxidant states and tumor promotion. Science 227: 375, 1985

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Cheesman KH, Collins M, Proudfoot K, et al, Studies on lipid peroxidation in normal and tumor tissues. Biochem J 235: 507, 1986

    Google Scholar 

  4. Corbin DR, Bernard WM, Technical notes: atomic absorption spectrophotometric determination of arsenic and selenium by hydride generation. Atomic Absorption Newsletter 15: 116, 1976

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Corrocher R, Casaril M, Bellisola G, et al, Severe impairment of antioxidant system in human hepatoma. Cancer 58: 1658, 1986

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. De Flora S, Hietanen E, Bartsch H, et al, Enhanced metabolic activation of chemical hepatocarcinogens in woodchucks infected with hepatitis B virus. Carcinogenesis 10: 1099, 1989

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Günzler WA, Kremers H, Flohä LU, An improved coupled test procedure for glutathione peroxidase in blood. Klin Chem Klin Biochem 12: 444, 1974

    Google Scholar 

  8. Kirby W, Fridovich I, A picomolar spectrophotometric assay for superoxide dismutase. Anal Biochem 127: 435, 1982

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kitahara A, Yamasaki T, Ishikawa T, Camba E, Sato K, Changes in activity of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase during chemical carcinogenesis in the rat. Gann 74: 649, 1983

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Lawrence RA, Burk RF, Glutathione peroxidase activity in selenium deficient rat liver. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 71: 952, 1976

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Mahler SM, Wilce PA, Shanley BC, Studies on regenerating liver and hepatoma plasma membranes. I. Lipid and protein composition. Int J Biochem 6: 605, 1988

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Menkes MS, Comstok GW, Vuileumier JP, et al, Serum beta carotene, vitamins A and E and the risk of lung cancer. N Engl J Med 315: 1250, 1986

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Miller KW, Lon NS, Yang CS, Simultaneous determination of plasma retinol, alpha-tocopherol lycopene, alpha carotene and beta carotene by high performance liquid chromatography. Anal Biochem 138: 340, 1984

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Paynter DI, Moir RJ, Underwood EJ, Changes in activity of the Cu−Zn superoxide dismutase enzyme in tissues of rat with changes in dietary copper. J Nutr 109: 1570, 1979

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Perona G, Guidi GC, Piga A, Cellerino R, Menna R, Zatti M, In vivo and in vitro variations of human erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity as result of cell aging, selenium availability and peroxide activation. Br J Haematol 39: 399, 1978

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Peskin AV, Koen YM, Zbarski IB, Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in tumors. FEBS Lett 78: 41, 1977

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Simons TW, Jamall IS, Significance of alterations in hepatic antioxidant enzymes: primacy of glutathione peroxidase. Biochem J 251: 913 1988

    Google Scholar 

  18. Szmuness W, Hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis B virus: evidence for a causal association. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 24: 40, 1978

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Willet CW, Morris JS, Pressel S, et al, Prediagnostic serum selenium and risk of cancer. Lancet II: 130, 1983

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Biochimica Clinica, University of Verona, Via delle Menegone 10, I-37134, Verona, Italy

    Antonella Bassi

  2. Clinica Medica, University of Verona, Via delle Menegone 10, I-37134, Verona, Italy

    Franco Capra & Giovanni Battista Gabrielli

  3. Patologia Chirurgica, University of Verona, Via delle Menegone 10, I-37134, Verona, Italy

    Nicola Nicoli

  4. Istituto di Patologia Medica, Cattedra di Medicina Interna, Policlinico Borgo Roma, I-37134, Verona, Italy

    Massimo Casaril, Flavia Corso, Anna Maria Stanzial & Roberto Corrocher

Authors
  1. Massimo Casaril
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Flavia Corso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Antonella Bassi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Franco Capra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Giovanni Battista Gabrielli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Anna Maria Stanzial
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Nicola Nicoli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Roberto Corrocher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Casaril, M., Corso, F., Bassi, A. et al. Decreased activity of scavenger enzymes in human hepatocellular carcinoma, but not in liver metastases. Int J Clin Lab Res 24, 94–97 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02593907

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02593907

Key words

Search

Navigation