Sialyl salivary-type amylase associated with ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND There have been many reports describing hyperamylasemia, with a salivary-type amylase phenotype, in patients with malignant tumors and/or multiple myelomas. In contrast, we have discovered and characterized a sialyl salivary-type amylase from multiple myeloma and/or lung cancer cells. This paper reports the first association of sialyl salivary-type amylase with ovarian cancer, discovered and characterized using sera from retrospective studies. METHODS Based on strictly retrospective observation of amylase zymograms, three samples of patients' sera with abnormally fast-migrating isoamylases were detected. Sialyl salivary-type amylase was determined by neuraminidase treatment and reaction with anti-salivary monoclonal antibody, and the extra elution peak of amylase was detected by size-exclusion HPLC analysis. RESULTS Sialyl salivary-type amylase was detected in the sera of three female patients with ovarian cancer. The ratio of S3 to S2 sub-band in isoamylase electrophoresis, was slightly over 1.00 in two cases and below 1.00 in the other. These cases were not recognized in routine isoamylase electrophoretic analyses, because the abnormal patterns were weak. CONCLUSION Sialyl salivary-type amylase was characterized for the first time in the sera of patients with ovarian cancer.