Liver immunoreactive prolyl hydroxylase protein in human primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

Total prolyl hydroxylase protein was measured in hepatic tissues of 8 patients with primary hepatocellular (PHC), 5 with acute viral hepatitis, and 5 with cirrhosis (3 alcoholic and 2 with secondary biliary cirrhosis). The mean values were compared with the mean value of 10 normal hepatic tissues. The mean values were all highly significantly elevated (P less than 0.001) in PHC, acute viral hepatitis and the cirrhotic patients, respectively. The mean L-IRPH value in PHC was about 9.50 times the control mean, while in acute viral hepatitis, and cirrhosis the mean L-IRPH values were about 3.00 and 2.30 times the control mean respectively. The mean level of L-IRPH in PHC was 4.06 times the mean level of L-IRPH in cirrhosis and 3.14 times the mean value in acute viral hepatitis. The findings of this study provide a basis for the elevated serum values of this intracellular enzyme of collagen synthesis in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma and the data indicate that this enzyme may be elevated to compensate for an increased rate of collagen synthesis in the malignant liver tissue.