Progression phosphatase reporter

Fishman et al. (F3) reported that in a group of 12 patients with proven prostatic cancer, five patients without evidence of metastases had normal values for total acid phosphatase between 1.3 and 3.0 K.A. units. Yet in four of these the prostatic portion was 0.7 to 2.2 units, all elevated above the normal level of 0.5 unit. These investigators also indicated that early elevations of the prostatic component in the presence of a normal total acid phosphatase might be the herald of progression of disease with ultimate elevations of total acid phosphatase. 

Extraskeletal calcification occurs in several conditions unrelated to demonstrable abnormalities of calcium metabolism, such as scleroderma, myositis ossificans, calcinosis universalis, calcinosis cutis, and local tissue damage in the kidney. These disorders are not usually associated with changes in serum alkaline phosphatase (B30). Elevated values have, however, been reported in paraplegic patients with ectopic bone formation (F23), and a positive correlation has been demonstrated between the activity of serum alkaline phosphatase and the progression of this disorder. Nicholas (N4) claimed that hyperphosphatasemia in such a situation may help to differentiate thrombophlebitis, septic arthritis, and cellulitis from ectopic bone formation. 

The tumor-promoting activity of OA class compounds is dne to their inhibitory activity of protein phosphatases, which increases phosphorylation/activation of varions proteins involved in the signal transduction pathways regulating the cell cycle and cell transformation. ° Different effects of OA leading to transformation of cells were reported, such as induction of mitosis, ° ° cycle progression, " as well as cell proliferation genes and proto-oncogenes expression. " It has been demonstrated that OA induces the release and expression of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and other cytokines, phosphorylation of the tnmor snppressors p53 and retinoblastoma pRb proteins, and activation and induction of the nnclear transcription factors, such as activator protein-1 (AP-1) andNF-KB. ... 

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