Tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) is a 6-kDa peptide, which is identical to the pancreatic-secretory-trypsin inhibitor (PSTI). TATI is produced by several tumors and cancer cell lines, and is used as a serum marker for mucinous ovarian cancer. Elevated serum levels of TATI have also been observed in renal-cell carcinoma (RCC). However, it is unclear whether the increase of serum TATI in this disease is caused by production of TATI by the tumor tissue, by the acute-phase reaction frequently associated with cancer, or by impaired renal function. We examined the expression of TATI in malignant and histologically normal renal tissue by immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain reaction (RT-PCR). Furthermore, we measured pre-operative serum TATI levels in 21 patients with RCC. Immunohistochemically, TATI was detected in 13 of 20 histologically normal renal-tissue samples, but not in 32 tissue samples from RCC. By RT-PCR, TATI mRNA was detected in all of 10 histologically normal kidneys and in 6 of 11 RCCs, while in situ hybridization analysis gave negative results. Pre-operative serum TATI was elevated in 57% of RCC patients. We also studied expression of TATI mRNA and protein in 7 renal-cancer cell lines, by RT-PCR and immunofluorometric assay respectively: 6 cancer cell lines were positive for TATI mRNA, while 4 of them also produced TATI protein at low levels. These results indicate that TATI is synthesized by the histologically normal renal tissue and by some renal cancers, and suggest that the elevation of serum TATI associated with renal-cell carcinoma may be caused by the release of TATI produced by the tumor.
Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.