CLEARANCE MECHANISM OF PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN AND ITS COMPLEXES WITH alpha 2-MACROGLOBULIN AND alpha 1-ANTICHYMOTRYPSIN

Abstract

Free PSA and PSA-inhibitor complexes are removed from the circulation by different clearance mechanisms. The sites of metabolism of the different forms of PSA are different but include liver and kidney as main organs for uptake. There are indications that alpha2-M-R/LRP is involved in PSA elimination. Thus, factors which modulate the receptor function and expression as well as the concentration of its natural ligands may interfere with the steady state concentrations of different PSA forms in blood.