Cystein Proteinase Inhibitor Stefin A as an Indicator of Efficiency of Tumor Treatment in Mice

The concentration of stefin A (cystatin A in mice) was measured in animals with experimental tumors (LS lymphosarcoma, HA-1-hepatoma, and Lewis lung carcinoma) during effective antitumor therapy. In mice with these tumors serum concentrations of stefin A increased, while the concentration of cystatin C (extracellular cystein proteinase inhibitor) decreased. The concentration of stefin A in tumor tissue in Lewis lung carcinoma was higher than in LS lymphosarcoma and HA-1-hepatoma ascitic cells, which can be explained by the degree of their malignancy. The content of stefin A in tumor tissue was similar to that in the liver and spleen of tumor-bearing animals, while its concentration in the liver and spleen of tumor-bearing animals was lower than in intact mice. The level of stefin A is an important marker of malignancy and an indicator of the efficiency of antitumor therapy.