Lu F J, Chang K J, Chen B H, Liaw F R, Liau S R, Chen H Y
Department of Biochemistry and Surgery, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, R.O.C.
J Formos Med Assoc. 1990 Apr;89(4):255-8.
Immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) was first found in the ascitic fluids of cancer patients. Its biochemical properties are significantly different from those of acidic protein in the serum of normal persons. Previous studies have indicated that the serum IAP concentration increases in most cancer patients and decreases to a normal level as such patients are cured. Therefore, it has been suggested as a useful marker for follow-up in operated cancer patients. In this study, analyses and comparisons of serum IAP concentrations have been made among 53 normal persons in Blackfoot disease endemic areas, 25 patients with diabetes, cataracts, hypertension and cardiovascular disease in Blackfoot disease endemic areas, 50 breast cancer patients, 13 colorectal cancer patients, and 18 Blackfoot disease patients. Serum IAP concentrations were found as follows: 454 +/- 138 micrograms/ml for normal subjects and 499 +/- 132 micrograms/ml for disease patients in Blackfoot disease endemic areas; 520 +/- 149 micrograms/ml for breast cancer patients; 864 +/- 341 micrograms/ml for colorectal cancer patients and 950 +/- 368 micrograms/ml for Blackfoot disease patients. Serum IAP concentrations were much higher in Blackfoot disease patients, than in normal persons in Blackfoot disease endemic areas (p less than 0.001), and as high as in colorectal cancer patients. In Blackfoot disease patients, the mean serum IAP concentration of 6 patients coming from the Blackfoot disease endemic areas was as high as 1,238 +/- 404 micrograms/ml, showing a positive rate of 100% to IAP (i.e. IAP concentration exceeds 500 micrograms/ml). We conclude that serum IAP assay of Blackfoot disease patients may be useful for prognosis and therapeutic monitoring.
