Expression of cysteine protease inhibitors stefin A, stefin B, and cystatin C in human lung tumor tissue.

In human lung tumor tissue specimen (n = 73) concentrations of stefins A and B were found to be increased 2.0-fold (p < 0.01) and 1.3-fold (p < 0.01), respectively, as compared to matched normal tissue. Stefin A and B concentrations were higher in primary tumors than in secondary tumors, i.e. metastases from other organs to the lung (p < 0.01; p < 0.05, respectively). Cystatin C concentrations were rather low and did not differ between tumor and normal tissue. Both concentrations of stefins did not correlate with TNM stages. Stefin A was higher in squamous cell carcinoma than in adenocarcinoma (p < 0.01), while stefin B did not show such a difference. At investigation of a relationship between survival probability of patients with primary tumors it was found that increased stefin B concentrations and total cysteine-protease-inhibitory activities but not stefin A concentrations were positively correlated with survival probability. It is concluded that stefins A and B are major contributors to the cysteine protease inhibitory activity in primary lung tumors. Stefin B proved to be a prognostic factor, especially in squamous cell carcinoma.