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Elevation of Histaminase and Its Concurrence with Regan Isoenzyme in Ovarian Cancer¹

Leo L. Stolbach

Tufts Cancer Research Center and The Department of Pathology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston 02111 [C-W. L., M. L. O.], and Massachusetts Department Of Public Health and Department Of Medicine, Pondville Hospital, Walpole, Massachusetts 02081 [L. L. S.]

Histaminase has been shown to be associated with several types of human cancer. In the present study, we examined the activity of histaminase and its relationship with Regan isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase in ascitic fluids obtained from patients with ovarian and several other types of cancer. We have found that about 44% of the ovarian cancer patients had elevated levels of histaminase in the ascitic fluid, whereas a less frequent incidence was observed in fluids obtained from other types of cancer. There was concurrence in the elevation of histaminase activity with the appearance of Regan isoenzyme in most of the samples examined. Of the 10 patients who showed elevated histaminase, 9 had high Regan isoenzyme activity; whereas in 9 patients with normal levels of histaminase, all except 1 had low or moderate levels of Regan isoenzyme activity. These results, therefore, confirm the observation of an association of histaminase with human cancer and suggest the possibility for the utilization of histaminase, in conjunction with Regan isoenzyme and cancer-associated proteins, for cancer diagnosis and clinical evaluation of tumor progression and regression during therapy.

¹ This work was supported by Grant-in-aid CA-12924 from the National Cancer Institute.

Received 6/17/74. Accepted 7/ 1/75.