[Alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase as tumour markers and factors intensifying carcinogenesis in liver cancer].

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated the association between alcohol consumption and the development of liver cancer. The metabolism of ethanol via alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) leads to generation of carcinogenic acetaldehyde.

OBJECTIVE

Comparison of the ADH isoenzymes activity and the activity of ALDH between liver cancer cells and healthy liver tissue. Assessment activity of these enzymes in the serum of patients with liver cancer as potential tumour markers.

METHODS

The cancer tissue and serum were taken from 42 liver cancer patients. Seventeen patients had primary cancer and 25 metastatic liver tumors. The total ADH activity and activity of class III and IV isoenzymes were measured by the photometric method and the activity of class I and II ADH isoenzymes and ALDH by spectrofluorometric method.

RESULTS

The activities of total ADH, ALDH and class I ADH were significantly higher in cancer liver cells than in healthy liver. There were no differences of ADH and ALDH activity between primary and metastatic tumours. In the serum of patients with liver cancer the total activity of ADH and ADH I were significantly higher than in healthy subjects. The total activity of ADH and ADH I were higher in the serum of patients with metastatic liver cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences in the activities of total ADH, ALDH and class I ADH isoenzyme between cancer liver tissues and healthy hepatocytes might be a factor in ethanol metabolism disorders, which can intensify carcinogenesis. The increase mainly of the ADH I activity in the serum of patients with metastatic tumors seems to be caused by the enzyme released from liver cancer cells and primary tumors originating in other organs. Obtained results indicate that the activity of ADH I and total activity of ADH in the serum may be a markers of primary and secondary liver cancers.