Abnormalities of serum cholinesterase isozyme in liver cirrhosis and hepatoma (Part II).

The pattern of serum cholinesterase (ChE) isozyme appeared to be characteristically abnormal in liver cirrhosis and hepatoma. In liver cirrhosis an abnormal fast moving peak was observed in 92.5% of fifty three patients studied. Further, diminishing activities of ChE 3 and 4, accompanied by an emergence of weak bands with unusual rates of flow, were noted in 58.5%. The latter abnormality was always associated with the former one. The pattern in hepatoma was essentially the same with liver cirrhosis, though diversity of bands was also present in some cases. It was ascertained that these abnormalities was due to sialic acid content bound to the enzyme, but was not due to production of abnormal enzyme protein moiety. It was suggested by clinical analysis that the degree of the abnormality of the isozyme may be useful for the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of liver cirrhosis.