[Alpha 1-antitrypsin in clinical diagnosis of primary hepatic carcinoma--an appraisal of monoclonal antibody-rate nephelometry].

This study was undertaken to evaluate the use of serum alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) in clinical diagnosis of primary hepatic carcinomas with monoclonal antibody-rate nephelometry. BALB/c mice were injected with human alpha 1AT. Spleen cells of the immunized mice and SP2/0 myeloma cells were hybridized in vitro. Monoclonal antibodies against alpha 1AT so obtained were used as detection agents in immuno-chemical monitor system (ICS). In 50 healthy individuals, serum alpha 1AT was 209 +/- 46.04 mg/dl. Serum alpha 1AT was determined in 49 patients with primary hepatic carcinoma, 26 with chronic active hepatitis and 26 with cirrhosis. Their positive rates were 43%, 3.8% and 0, respectively. Serum alpha 1AT level was significantly higher in primary hepatic carcinoma than in chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis patients (P less than 0.001). No difference was found in alpha 1AT between patients with benign liver diseases and healthy adults (P greater than 0.05). The results indicate that alpha 1AT is useful in the diagnosis of primary hepatic carcinomas.