Comparative study of plasminogen activator antigens in colonic carcinomas and adenomas

The correlation between malignant transformation and increased PA synthesis or secretion has been examined in a variety of cell lines. To study the relationship between content and composition of PAs and colorectal neoplasms, we measured u-PA and t-PA antigen levels in normal mucosa, tubular adenoma, adenocarcinoma in adenoma, and adenocarcinoma, using a sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay. This assay was very sensitive and was not hindered by the presence of serine protease inhibitors. Both adenomas and carcinomas had higher u-PA antigen levels than normal mucosa. The u-PA antigen level of adenomas was lower than that of carcinomas. Antigen level of t-PA, however, was lower in both adenomas and carcinomas compared with that in normal mucosa, the values being lowest in carcinomas. Two cases of carcinoma in adenoma had PA contents similar to those of carcinomas. u-PA antigen level of adenomas with dysplastic epithelium was higher than that of adenomas without dysplastic epithelium. Therefore, the increase of u-PA content in adenomas could be a parameter of malignant changes in adenomas.