A novel assay for pancreatic cellular damage: III. Use of a pancreas-specific protein as a marker of pancreatic graft dysfunction in humans.

Pancreas-specific protein (PASP) is a recently isolated and partially characterized major protein in the human pancreas. It has not been described previously. Serum levels of PASP and amylase were analyzed in 21 patients subjected to combined renal and segmental pancreatic transplantation with both organs obtained from the same donor and in eight kidney transplant patients. In the pancreas transplant patients, PASP and amylase levels were elevated in episodes of graft pancreatitis. With chronic graft rejection, PASP rose to high levels long before other indications. In episodes of renal rejection, the levels of PASP, but not always of amylase, were elevated on several occasions. They decreased after antirejection therapy. This may indicate accompanying pancreatic graft rejection. PASP and amylase levels were stable in kidney transplant patients and were not affected by serum creatinine levels, renal rejection, or antirejection therapy. The results support earlier observations that renal rejection in combined pancreas and renal transplant patients may or may not be accompanied by a rejection process in the pancreatic graft. PASP may be the means by which to tell when the pancreatic graft is involved.