[Thyroid autoantibodies]. / Schildklierantistoffen.

Here we describe the role of laboratory assessment of autoantibodies against the thyroid antigens thyroid peroxidase (TPO), thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) and thyroglobulin (TG) in the diagnosis of disorders of the thyroid. The practical use of these tests is illustrated by two case studies. This is followed by an in-depth discussion of the most recent literature, including national and international guidelines for thyroid disorders. The applicability of TPO antibodies in subclinical hypothyroidism, THSR antibodies in pregnant women with a history of Graves' hyperthyroidism, and TG antibodies in the follow-up of differentiated thyroid carcinoma, are highlighted.

Production and characterization of new families of polyglucuronic acids from TEMPO-NaOCl oxidation of curdlan.

Curdlan from Agrobacterium sp. was oxidized using 2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-NaBr-NaClO systems at pH 11. The effects of oxidation conditions on degrees of oxidation and polymerization of the products obtained were studied using SEC-MALLS, NMR and IR analyses. Different families of water-soluble beta-(1,3)-polyglucuronic and beta-(1,3)-polyglucoglucuronic acid sodium salts were quantitatively generated with a yield of 80% and without significant loss of their molecular weights. Given that beta-(1,3)-polyglucuronic acids prepared from the regioselective oxidation of curdlan by the TEMPO-NaBr-NaClO systems regularly consist of the glucuronic acid repeating unit; they may open new biotechnological fields for the utilizations of water soluble forms of curdlan.

Tumour-stroma interactions in colorectal cancer: converging on beta-catenin activation and cancer stemness.

Sporadic cases of colorectal cancer are primarily initiated by gene mutations in members of the canonical Wnt pathway, ultimately resulting in beta-catenin stabilisation. Nevertheless, cells displaying nuclear beta-catenin accumulation are nonrandomly distributed throughout the tumour mass and preferentially localise along the invasive front where parenchymal cells are in direct contact with the stromal microenvironment. Here, we discuss the putative role played by stromal cell types in regulating beta-catenin intracellular accumulation in a paracrine fashion. As such, the tumour microenvironment is likely to maintain the cancer stem cell phenotype in a subset of cells, thus mediating invasion and metastasis.

Phamacokinetics of a single oral dose of dihydroartemisinin in Vietnamese healthy volunteers.

Pharmacokinetics of a 240 mg single dose of oral dihydroartemisinin (DHA) was investigated in 8 healthy (5 males, 3 females) Vietnamese volunteers. Plasma concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection in the reductive mode. The concentration time profile of DHA was fitted with one-compartment model with a lag time. Pharmacokinetics of DHA is comparable between males and females even when adjusted with dosage. The median (range) values of pooled pharmacokinetics of oral DHA were: t(lag) 0.41 (0.09-0.78) hours, t(1/2z) 0.58 (0.17-1.43) hours, t(max) 1.6 (1.1-2.2) hours, Cmax 466 (128-787) ng/ml. Cmax/dosage 97.7 (27.2-124.6) ng/ml, t(1/2z) 2.0 (1.5-3.4) hours, AUC 1867 (420-3535) ng x h/ml, AUC/dosage 364.3 (89.3-559.7) ng x h/ml/dosage, Cl/f 45.8 (30.0-190.0) ml/min/kg, Vz/f 8.0 (5.5-29.9) l/kg. Interindividual variation was large, the coefficients of variation (CV) were 47.8% and 45.3% respectively to AUC and Cmax. The t(max) of DHA formulation was comparable with that of DHA metabolite of artemisinin derivatives. The t(1/2z) was longer and shorter than that of DHA metabolites of oral formulations of artesunate and artemether, respectively. For monotherapeutic regimen(s) of DHA, dosing frequency of at least twice a day is suggested. Combined regimen(s) of DHA with other potent, long half-life antimalarials may also be an alternative approach.

Cloning and sequence analysis of four t(9;11) therapy-related leukemia breakpoints.

The t(9;11)(p22;q23) is the most common chromosomal translocation in topoisomerase II inhibitor therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (tAML). This translocation fuses the MLL and AF9 proto-oncogenes producing a novel chimeric protein. In order to gain insight into the mechanism generating the t(9;11) and to clarify the role topoisomerase II inhibition may play in that mechanism we have cloned and sequenced the breakpoints from four tAML patients with the t(9;11). This sequence analysis identifies topoisomerase II consensus binding sequences near or at the chromosome 11 and chromosome 9 breakpoints in all four patients. One patient also had the consensus binding sequence for the TRANSLIN DNA-binding protein at the 9p22 and 11q23 breakpoints. Our results further support a direct role for topoisomerase II in the genesis of these tAML translocations.

Characterization of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides on a mouse submandibular mucin.

The asparagine-linked oligosaccharides from an adult female mouse submandibular gland mucin were released by treatment with peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase F or endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H. Endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H appeared to be more effective at releasing the asparagine-linked oligosaccharides from this mucin than was peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)-asparagine amidase F. After quantitative reductive labelling with the fluorophore, 8-aminonaphthalene-1,3,6-sulphonic acid, the oligosaccharides were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isolated. The individual oligosaccharides were sequenced by a battery of recombinant exoglycosidases. Approximately 50% of the oligosaccharides were of the high-mannose type. The five-mannose member of this family was the most prevalent. The second group of oligosaccharides were of the non-bisected hybrid type. No complex asparagine-linked oligosaccharides were detected. The hybrids exhibited both biantennary and triantennary branching patterns. The triantennary hybrid was the most common hybrid at > 30% of all oligosaccharides. With approximately 98% of the hybrid oligosaccharides sialylated and all lacking a bisecting N-acetylglucosamine, these oligosaccharides as a group have been only rarely observed in other glycoproteins. The fully sialylated triantennary hybrid may be unique.