Serum proteolytic activities and antiproteases in human colorectal carcinoma

Some proteolytic enzymes, trypsin, cathepsin B, cathepsin D, collagenase, elastase and their inhibitors, API and AMG, in serum of patients with colorectal carcinoma have been evaluated. Twenty patients belonged to stage B of colorectal carcinoma, twenty two patients to stage D (Astler and Coller classification) and a control group of thirty healthy volunteers were evaluated. Except in cathepsin D, patients exhibit higher enzymatic activities than healthy subjects, and both groups have all the proteolytic activities assayed in serum. Patients with disseminated disease have increased cathepsin B and collagenase levels, with a decrease of trypsin activity, showing an increment in API and AMG in sera. However, only the API values were significantly higher in patients with metastases. The coexistence of proteolytic activities in human sera together with their inhibitors is considered as well as the origin of these, tumoral and/or reactive, increments. Cathepsin B levels are raised in colorectal neoplasms and contribute to the destruction of the extracellular matrix and the proliferation of tumoral cells. There is evidence that a relation between collagenase like activity and tumor invasiveness exists. Cathepsin B and collagenase increases agree with the tumoral mass. On the other hand, trypsin decrease in metastatic carcinoma is probably related to the increment of their inhibitors, API and AMG, acute phase reactant proteins.