[Familial nonneoplastic inappropriate thyrotropin secretion]. / Familiäre, nicht-neoplastische inadäquate Thyreotropin-Inkretion.

A follicular thyroid carcinoma was suspected in a 62-year-old woman after the fifth goitre excision for non-neoplastic inappropriate thyrotropin secretion. Small-follicular adenoma could not be excluded histologically. After an attempt at thyrotropin suppression with L-thyroxine, triiodothyronine, D-thyroxine with L-thyroxine, and bromocriptine had failed, lasting if partial decrease in the maximally elevated TSH levels was achieved with triiodothyroacetic acid (TRIAC). One of the patient's three daughters also has non-neoplastic inappropriate thyrotropin secretion and has had two goitre excisions. It is most likely a familial form of inappropriate TSH secretion.

Characterization of triglyceride lipase activities in rat skeletal muscle.

Triglyceride lipase activity was determined in particulate and soluble fractions from rat skeletal muscle homogenates. The fractions exhibited an acid (pH 5,0) optimum with an impressive enhancement in the combined P17 /100 fraction. Methylamine inhibited this acid lipase activity. A further lipase was observed with maximal activity at pH 7,0 and only a small enhancement in the combined P17 /100 fraction and inhibition by diethyl p-nitrophenyl-phosphate but not by protamine sulfate. Lipoprotein lipase activity was identified by the following in vitro criteria: Stimulation of activity by serum, maximal activity at alkaline pH (pH 8,5 - 9,0) and inhibition of activity by NaCl and protamine sulfate. There was a definite enhancement of lipoprotein lipase activity in the combined P17 /100 fraction after the lipase activity has been washed out from the capillary bed with heparin.

Effect of buformin on the regulation of glycogen metabolism in the skeletal muscle of normal rats.

In view of the experience that after short- or long-term oral administration of biguanides to rats no glycogenolysis in the muscle tissue occurs or even an increase of the muscle glycogen content and a high rate of incorporation of radioglucose into the muscle glycogen, the glycogen synthetase activity of skeletal muscle in a concentrated muscle homogenate and the effect of isoproterenol on glycogenolysis were investigated in normal rats after short-term oral administration of 1-butylbiguanide (buformin). The basal synthetase activity and the ATP inhibition of the enzyme were not affected by buformin, but the cyclic AMP mediated inactivation was significantly inhibited after buformin pretreatment. This inhibition was reversed by running the assay in the presence of Mg2+. Buformin also inhibited the isoproterenol induced glycogenolysis of the skeletal muscle tissue. From our results we suppose that biguanides may influence the regulation of glycogen metabolism by inhibiting the inactivating synthetase kinase and the activating phosphorylase kinase. It is possible that divalent cations like Mg2+ as an activator of kinase reactions are concerned.

[Clinical study on metabolic effects of estriol-succinate (author's transl)]. / Klinische Untersuchungen über Stoffwechselwirkungen von Ostriol-succinat.

Allowing for the restrictions outlined in "Methods", treatment with estriol-succinate of 10 menopausal women for several weeks had no effect on some lipid and carbohydrate parameters, nor on serum enzymes nor plasma hormone levels. A slight increase in serum alkaline phosphatase, within normal limits, could not be related to a disturbance of liver function, when considering the other parameters.

[Biochemical form of a paraneoplastic Cushing's syndrome (author's transl)]. / Biochemische Form eines paraneoplastischen Cushing-Sydroms

Paraneoplastic hypercorticism appears either as a fullfledged Cushing's syndrome with adiposity of the trunk, moon face and striae or as a biochemical form with hypokalemic alkalosis, adynamia and muscular atrophy. A form of the disease with the biochemical type in bronichial carcinoma is reported, which emphasizes also the significance of paraneoplastic syndromes for the early diagnosis of neoplasia.

Effects of buformin on the metabolsim of the isolated haemoglobin-free perfused hindlimb of normal rats.

Using the isolated, haemoglobin-free, perfused resting hindlimb of normal rats buformin neither had a direct insulin-like effect on glucose uptake by muscle tissue nor potentiated the effect of insulin on glucose uptake after oral pretreatment for one or several days with low and high doses (30 mg-350 mg/kg). Effects on glycogenolysis could not be detected. Glycerol release was inhibited after several days of pretreatment with low and high doses of buformin. The utilization of added oleate was also partly inhibited. The level of energy rich phosphates in the muscle tissue and oxygen consumption were not affected under any of the conditions used in these experiments.