Ohtani H, Saito M, Koshiba K
Oncology. 1985;42(6):341-4. doi: 10.1159/000226060.
Four out of approximately 36,000 specimens, examined by immunoelectrophoresis, showed no precipitin line of alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) with anti-whole human serum and antiserum to alpha 2M. Serum alpha 2M levels were below 10 mg/100 ml with single radial immunodiffusion. These cases were diagnosed as having prostate cancer based on prostate biopsy. After estrogen or anti-androgen therapy, the initially severe deficiency of alpha 2M changed toward normal limits. Phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced lymphocytes from patients with severe alpha 2M deficiency revealed normal response. Sera from patients with alpha 2M deficiency and healthy subjects (serum alpha 2M concentration of 8-208 mg/100 ml) did not suppress lymphocyte response to PHA, while purified alpha 2M from fetal cord and healthy sera, and serum from a patient with advanced urinary cancer (serum alpha 2M concentration above 360 mg/100 ml) to PHA-induced lymphocytes demonstrated a dose-dependent suppression. Thus, these results indicate that alpha 2M in elevated concentration results in decreased PHA-induced lymphocyte response and suggest that alpha 2M may have, principally suppressive, immunoregulatory properties in vivo.
在大约36,000份经免疫电泳检测的标本中，有4份标本与抗全人血清及抗α2M抗血清未显示α2-巨球蛋白（α2M）沉淀线。采用单向放射免疫扩散法检测，血清α2M水平低于10mg/100ml。这些病例经前列腺活检确诊为前列腺癌。雌激素或抗雄激素治疗后，最初严重缺乏的α2M向正常范围转变。严重α2M缺乏患者经植物血凝素（PHA）诱导的淋巴细胞显示出正常反应。α2M缺乏患者的血清和健康受试者（血清α2M浓度为8 - 208mg/100ml）不会抑制淋巴细胞对PHA的反应，而来自胎儿脐带和健康血清的纯化α2M以及一名晚期泌尿癌患者的血清（血清α2M浓度高于360mg/100ml）对PHA诱导的淋巴细胞表现出剂量依赖性抑制。因此，这些结果表明浓度升高的α2M会导致PHA诱导的淋巴细胞反应降低，并提示α2M在体内可能主要具有抑制性免疫调节特性。
