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Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) is a glycoprotein found in the alpha-1 globulin fraction of human plasma proteins. AGP is an important representative of acute-phase proteins. Although numerous articles have been devoted to AGP, its exact biological function remains obscure. AGP levels increase with a number of diseases. One of them is a tumor disease. In our paper, we discuss the role of increased AGP levels in cancer patients. We deal with the role of AGP as a drug-binding protein and its effect on the effi cacy of chemotherapy in oncological patients. Other problems that are discussed in our paper include the role of AGP as an immunomodulatory protein and its relationship to angiogenesis because angiogenesis plays an important role in the progression of cancer (Ref. 57).

Methionine and glutathione seem to be potential biomarkers for prognosis of the disease.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine how does butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity change in the serum of NAFLD patients, whether there was a relationship between BChE and the severity of NAFLD and whether BChE could be used to distinguish the patients with simple hepatic steatosis from the patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. METHODS: The study group consisted of 64 patients with NAFLD. Patients were examined for fatty liver index and in the serum, we investigated BChE activities and the concentrations of prealbumin, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols and hyaluronic acid (HA). We also used FIB-4 index to evaluate liver fi brosis. RESULTS: BChE activity was signifi cantly increased in NAFLD patients compared to the controls (4711 U/l vs 4028 U/l). Patients with higher concentrations of serum triacylglycerols and non-HDL cholesterol had also signifi cantly higher activities of BChE. The comparison of BChE activity and parameters of liver fi brosis (HA and FIB-4) showed a signifi cant negative correlation between these parameters. Patients with an increased concentration of HA had signifi cantly lower BChE than the controls (3111 U/l vs 4028 U/l). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed increased BChE values in NAFLD patients. The comparison of changes in BChE activity with the changes in prealbumin levels and changes of both fi bro markers showed that the examination of BChE activity could help to differentiate NAFLD patients with a simple hepatic steatosis from those with an advanced disease (Tab. 1, Fig. 7, Ref. 28).