Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0019204 (hepatocellular carcinoma)
 71,386 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

DIOXIN TOXIC EQUIVALENCY FACTOR EVALUATION OVERVIEW: Polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) have the ability to bind to and activate the ligand-activated transcription factor, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Structurally related compounds that bind to the AhR and exhibit biological actions similar to TCDD are commonly referred to as "dioxin-like compounds" (DLCs). Ambient human exposure to DLCs occurs through the ingestion of foods containing residues of DLCs that bioconcentrate through the food chain. Due to their lipophilicity and persistence, once internalized they accumulate in body tissue, mainly adipose, resulting in chronic lifetime human exposure. Since human exposure to DLCs always occurs as a complex mixture, the toxic equivalency factor (TEF) methodology has been developed as a mathematical tool to assess the health risk posed by complex mixtures of these compounds. The TEF methodology is a relative potency scheme that ranks the dioxin-like activity of a compound relative to TCDD, which is the most potent congener. This allows for the estimation of the potential dioxin-like activity of a mixture of chemicals, based on a common mechanism of action involving an initial binding of DLCs to the AhR. The toxic equivalency of DLCs was nominated for evaluation because of the widespread human exposure to DLCs and the lack of data on the adequacy of the TEF methodology for predicting relative potency for cancer risk. To address this, the National Toxicology Program conducted a series of 2-year bioassays in female Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats to evaluate the chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity of DLCs and structurally related polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and mixtures of these compounds. Mixtures of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) including 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126) and 2,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 118) were produced commercially before 1977 for the electric industry as dielectric insulating fluids for transformers and capacitors. Manufacture and use of these chemicals were stopped because of increased PCB residues in the environment, but they continue to be released into the environment through the use and disposal of products containing PCBs, as by-products during the manufacture of certain organic chemicals, during combustion of some waste materials, and during atmospheric recycling. This PCB mixture study was conducted as part of the dioxin TEF evaluation that includes conducting multiple 2-year rat bioassays to evaluate the relative chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity of DLCs, structurally related PCBs, and mixtures of these compounds. This study was originally a study of PCB 118 alone. However, midway through the study PCB 126 was identified as one of the minor contaminants (0.622%) of the bulk PCB 118 (98.5% pure). Given the 1,000-fold higher potency of PCB 126 for inducing dioxin-like effects (based on the TEFs for PCB 126 and PCB 118 of 0.1 and 0.0001, respectively), it was expected that the effects of administration of this compound would be due to the combined dioxin-like effects of both PCB 126 and PCB 118. Therefore, this study was reclassified as a mixture study of PCB 126 and PCB 118. 2-YEAR STUDY: Groups of female Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats were administered the PCB mixture containing PCB 126 and PCB 118 by gavage in corn oil:acetone (99:1) or vehicle alone, 5 days per week for up to 104 weeks. Dose groups are referred to by the total levels of TCDD toxic equivalents (TEQ) provided by the PCBs in the mixture in each dose group. Groups of 81 female rats were administered 7, 22, 72, or 216 ng TEQ/kg; a group of 86 female rats was administered 360 ng TEQ/kg; and a group of 81 female rats was administered the corn oil:acetone vehicle alone. Up to 10 rats per group were evaluated at 14, 31, or 53 weeks. No animals in the 360 ng TEQ/kg group were examined at 53 weeks. A group of 50 female rats was administered 360 ng TEQ/kg for 30 weeks and then the vehicle alone for the remainder of the study. Nominal doses of PCB 118 and levels of PCB 126 in each dose group used were: 7 ng TEQ/kg dose group: 62 ng/kg PCB 126 and 10 microg/kg PCB 118 7 ng TEQ/kg dose group: 62 ng/kg PCB 126 and 10 microg/kg PCB 118 22 ng TEQ/kg dose group: 187 ng/kg PCB 126 and 30 microg/kg PCB 118 72 ng TEQ/kg dose group: 622 ng/kg PCB 126 and 100 microg/kg PCB 118 216 ng TEQ/kg dose group: 1,866 ng/kg PCB 126 and 300 microg/kg PCB 118 360 ng TEQ/kg dose group: 3,110 ng/kg PCB 126 and 500 microg/kg PCB 118 No animals in the 216 or 360 ng TEQ/kg core study groups survived to the end of the study, and survival in the 360 ng TEQ/kg stop-exposure group was significantly less than in the vehicle control group. Mean body weights of 72 ng TEQ/kg rats were less than those of the vehicle controls after week 33 of the study, and mean body weights of the 216 and 360 ng TEQ/kg core study rats and the 360 ng TEQ/kg stop-exposure group rats were less than those of the vehicle controls throughout most of the study. Clinical findings related to the administration of the binary mixture of PCB 126 and PCB 118 included abnormal breathing, thinness, and ruffled hair. Thyroid Hormone Concentrations: Alterations in serum thyroid hormone levels were evaluated at the 14-, 31-, and 53-week interim evaluations. Total thyroxine (T4) and free T4 were significantly lower in most dose groups than in vehicle controls at the 14- and 31-week interim evaluations. Serum T3 was significantly lower in the 360 ng TEQ/kg group compared to vehicle controls at 31 weeks only. TSH levels were higher in the 216 and 360 ng TEQ/kg groups than in vehicle controls at 31 weeks only. Hepatic Cell Proliferation Data To evaluate hepatocyte replication, analysis of labeling of replicating hepatocytes with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine was conducted at the 14-, 31-, and 53-week interim evaluations. Labeling indices were elevated at doses above 216 ng TEQ/kg at 31 weeks and at doses above 72 ng TEQ/kg at 53 weeks. Cytochrome P450 Enzyme Activities: CYP1A1-associated 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and CYP1A2-associated acetanilide-4-hydroxylase (A4H) activities were evaluated at the 14-, 31-, and 53-week interim evaluations to evaluate the expression of known dioxin-responsive genes. In addition, CYP2B-associated pentoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (PROD) activity was also analyzed. Hepatic and pulmonary EROD (CYP1A1) activity, hepatic A4H (CYP1A2) activity, and hepatic PROD (CYP2B1) activity were significantly greater in all dosed groups compared to the vehicle controls at weeks 14, 31, and 53. Determinations of PCB 126 and PCB 118 Concentrations in Tissues: The tissue disposition of PCB 126 and PCB 118 was analyzed in the liver, lung, fat, and blood of up to 10 rats in each group at the 14-, 31-, and 53-week interim evaluations, except for the 360 ng TEQ/kg group at 53 weeks. The tissue disposition of PCB 126 and PCB 118 was also analyzed in 10 rats per group at the end of the 2-year study in the vehicle control, 7, 22, and 72 ng TEQ/kg core study groups and the 360 ng TEQ/kg stop-exposure group. Detectable concentrations of PCB 126 and PCB 118 were observed in the liver, fat, lung, and blood. The highest levels of PCB 126 were seen in the liver whereas the highest levels of PCB 118 were seen in the fat. In general, tissue concentrations increased with increasing doses of the mixture and increasing duration of exposure. Hepatic levels of PCB 126 and PCB 118 in the 72 ng TEQ/kg group at the end of the 2-year study were 284 ng/g and 3,769 ng/g, respectively. On a TCDD equivalents basis this corresponds to 28 ng TEQ/g and 0.4 ng TEQ/g for PCB 126 and PCB 118, respectively. Cessation of administration of the mixture in the stop-exposure group led to declines in the tissue concentrations of both PCB 126 and PCB 118 to levels comparable to those observed in the 7 ng TEQ/kg group at the end of the 2-year study. Pathology and Statistical Analyses: At 14, 31, and 53 weeks, liver weights were significantly increased in treated groups with more pronounced effects occurring in the higher dose groups. At 14 weeks, hepatocyte hypertrophy and pigmentation were seen at doses less than 72 ng TEQ/kg. Exposure to the PCB mixture led to significant toxicity in the liver. At higher doses, the incidences of toxic hepatopathy were increased as indicated by increased incidences of multinucleated hepatocytes and diffuse fatty change. At 31 weeks, most rats in the 216 and 360 ng TEQ/kg groups had multiple hepatic nonneoplastic lesions. At 53 weeks all animals administered 216 ng TEQ/kg had multiple nonneoplastic lesions. The spectrum of effects and the severity of effects at the interim and 2-year time points increased with dose and duration of exposure. At the end of the 2-year study in all dosed groups, there were significantly increased incidences and severity of toxic hepatopathy characterized by hepatocyte hypertrophy, multinucleated hepatocytes, pigmentation, toxic hepatopathy, diffuse fatty change, nodular hyperplasia, centrilobular fibrosis, cholangiofibrosis, oval cell hyperplasia, bile duct cyst, bile duct hyperplasia, and portal fibrosis. There were also increased incidences of hepatocyte glandular structures, necrosis, centrilobular degeneration, eosinophilic focus, and metaplasia. The incidences of cholangiocarcinoma (multiple and/or single) were significantly increased in groups administered 22 ng TEQ/kg or greater at 2 years. The incidences of hepatocellular adenoma were also significantly increased in the 216 and 360 ng TEQ/kg core study groups. In addition, single occurrences of hepatocholangioma, cholangioma, or hepatocellular carcinoma were observed in some dosed groups administered 72 ng TEQ/kg or greater. In the lung at 53 weeks, the incidences of cystic keratinizing epithelioma and bronchiolar metaplasia were significantly increased in the 216 ng TEQ/kg group. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED).
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PMID:Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of a binary mixture of 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126) (Cas No. 57465-28-8) and 2,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 118) (Cas No. 31508-00-6) in female Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats (gavage studies). 1734 96

Thyroid hormone (T3) regulates multiple physiological processes during development, growth, differentiation, and metabolism. Most T3 actions are mediated via thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) that are members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily of ligand-dependent transcription factors. The effects of T3 treatment on target gene regulation was previously examined in TRalpha1-overexpressing hepatoma cell lines (HepG2-TRalpha1). Androgen receptor (AR)-associated protein 70 (ARA70) was one gene found to be up-regulated by T3. The ARA70 is a ligand-dependent coactivator for the AR and was significantly increased by 4- to 5-fold after T3 treatment by Northern blot analyses in the HepG2-TRalpha1 stable cell line. T3 induced a 1- to 2-fold increase in the HepG2-TRbeta1 stable cell line. Both stable cell lines attained the highest fold expression after 24 h treatment with 10 nM T3. The ARA70 protein was increased up to 1.9-fold after T3 treatment in HepG2-TRalpha1 cells. Similar findings were obtained in thyroidectomized rats after T3 application. Cycloheximide treatment did not suppress induction of ARA70 transcription by T3, suggesting that this regulation is direct. A series of deletion mutants of ARA70 promoter fragments in pGL2 plasmid were generated to localize the thyroid hormone response element (TRE). The DNA fragments (-234/-190 or +56/+119) gave 1.55- or 2-fold enhanced promoter activity by T3. Thus, two TRE sites exist in the upstream-regulatory region of ARA70. The TR-TRE interaction was further confirmed with EMSAs. Additionally, ARA70 could interfere with TR/TRE complex formation. Therefore, the data indicated that ARA70 suppresses T3 signaling in a TRE-dependent manner. These experimental results suggest that T3 directly up-regulates ARA70 gene expression. Subsequently, ARA70 negatively regulates T3 signaling.
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PMID:Direct regulation of androgen receptor-associated protein 70 by thyroid hormone and its receptors. 1741 1

Thyroid hormones are important regulators of differentiation, growth, metabolism, and physiological function of virtually all tissues. Active thyroid hormone T(3) affects expression of genes that encode for angiogenic proteins like adrenomedullin or vascular endothelial growth factor and erythropoietin, as well as for glucose transporters and phospho fructokinase that determine glucose use. Interestingly, those target genes are also hypoxia inducible and under the control of the oxygen-dependent transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1). We and others have reported that T(3) stimulates HIF-1 activation, which intimately links T(3) and HIF-1 induced gene expression. Here, we studied intracellular pathways that mediate HIF-1alpha regulation by T(3). We found that T(3)-dependent HIF-1 activation is not limited to hepatoma cells but is also observed in primary human hepatocytes, kidney and lung carcinoma cells. T(3) increased the HIF-1alpha subunit mRNA and protein within a few hours through activation of the thyroid hormone receptor beta retinoid X receptor alpha heterodimer because knockdown of each of the partners abrogated the stimulation by T(3). However, T(3) had no direct effect on transcription of HIF-1alpha, but activation of the thyroid hormone receptor beta/retinoid X receptor alpha heterodimer by T(3) stimulated expression of the hepatic leukemia factor, which increases HIF-1alpha gene expression.
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PMID:Thyroid hormone induces hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha gene expression through thyroid hormone receptor beta/retinoid x receptor alpha-dependent activation of hepatic leukemia factor. 1823 67

Pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 (PTTG1) is expressed in most tumors. However, whether thyroid hormone (T(3)) and its receptors (TR) regulate PTTG1 in human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) remains unclear. Previous cDNA microarrays revealed PTTG1 is down-regulated by T(3)/TR. This study investigated the significance of PTTG1 regulation by T(3) in HCC cells. The PTTG1 mRNA and protein expression were repressed by T(3) in HCC cell lines overexpressing TR. However, after knockdown of TRs expression by RNA interference, PTTG1 repression by T(3) was abolished. Similar results were observed in thyroidectomized rats. To localize the regulatory region in the PTTG1 promoter, serial deletions within the PTTG1 promoter region were constructed. The promoter activity of the PTTG1 gene was repressed (25-51%) by T(3). Additionally, these findings indicate that PTTG1 may be regulated by Sp1. The critical role of the -594 and -520 Sp1 binding sites was confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Transfection with Sp1 expression vector enhanced the activity of the PTTG1 promoter fragment reporter. Also, Sp1 was down-regulated in HCC cells and in thyroidectomized rat after T(3) treatment. Additionally, ectopic expression of PTTG1 promotes cell proliferation in Hep3B hepatoma cells. Conversely, knockdown of PTTG1 or Sp1 expression reduced cell proliferation in HepG2 cells. Notably, the expression of PTTG1 and Sp1 was inversely correlated with the expression of TR proteins in HCC. Together, these findings indicate that PTTG1 gene expression is mediated by Sp1 and is indirectly down-regulated by T(3). Finally, overexpression of PTTG1 or SP1 in HCCs is TR-dependent and crucial in the development of HCC.
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PMID:Thyroid hormone receptors suppress pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 activity in hepatoma. 1833 49

The objective of this study was to identify genes regulated by thyroid hormone (T(3)) and associated with tumor invasion. The gene encoding furin, as previously identified by cDNA microarray, is known to be up-regulated by T(3) treatment, and stimulated furin production occurs in thyroidectomized rats after administration of T(3). Presently, by using serial deletion of the promoter and EMSAs, the T(3) response element on the furin promoter was localized to the -6317/-6302 region. T(3)-mediated furin up-regulation was cooperative with TGF-beta because T(3) induction increased after Smad3/4 addition. Furthermore, the invasiveness of HepG2-thyroid hormone receptor (TR) cells was significantly increased by T(3) treatment, perhaps due to furin processing of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9. In addition, furin up-regulation either by stable overexpression or T(3) and/or TGF-beta induction was evident in severe-combined immune-deficient mice inoculated with HepG2-TRalpha1 cells. The HepG2-furin mice displayed a higher metastasis index and tumor size than HepG2-neo mice. Notably, the increased liver and lung tumor number or size in the hyperthyroid severe-combined immune-deficient mice as well as TGF-beta mice was attributed specifically to furin overexpression in the HepG2-TRalpha1 cells. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that furin overexpression in some types of hepatocellular carcinomas is TR dependent and might play a crucial role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, T(3) regulates furin gene expression via a novel mechanism or in cooperation with TGF-beta to enhance tumor metastasis in vitro and in vivo.
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PMID:Thyroid hormone promotes cell invasion through activation of furin expression in human hepatoma cell lines. 1846 49

Thyroid hormone (T3) regulates growth, development and differentiation. These activities are mediated by nuclear thyroid hormone receptors (TRs), which belong to the steroid/thyroid hormone receptor superfamily of ligand-dependent transcription factors. In an effort to study the mechanism of target genes regulation and their physiological significance after T3 treatment in a TR alpha-overexpressing hepatoma cell line (HepG2-TR alpha), c-DNA microarrays were performed. The data demonstrated that approximately 149 genes represented were positively regulated by T3, including fibrinogen, transferrin, fibronectin (FN), androgen receptor (AR)-associated protein (ARA70), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfotransferase family 1A member 2 (SULT2A1). To further confirm the microarray results, a quantitative-reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (Q-RT-PCR) was applied. The protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide was used to determine whether the regulation was direct or indirect. A promoter assay further showed that T3 regulation was largely at the level of transcription. Although those genes were isolated from a human tumor cell line, they are regulated similarly in rats and humans. These results indicate that T3 might play an important role in the process of blood coagulation, inflammation, metabolism and cell proliferation. This may help to explain the association between thyroid diseases and the mis-regulation of the inflammatory and clotting profiles evident in the circulatory systems of these patients.
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PMID:Thyroid hormone dependent regulation of target genes and their physiological significance. 1893 90

Loss of thyroid hormone receptors (TR) is a common feature in some tumors, although their role in tumor progression is currently unknown. We show here that expression of TRbeta1 in hepatocarcinoma and breast cancer cells reduces tumor growth, causes partial mesenchymal-to-epithelial cell transition, and has a striking inhibitory effect on invasiveness, extravasation, and metastasis formation in mice. In cultured cells, TRbeta1 abolishes anchorage-independent growth and migration, blocks responses to epidermal growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-I, and transforming growth factor beta, and regulates expression of genes that play a key role in tumorigenicity and metastatic growth. The receptor disrupts the mitogenic action of growth factors by suppressing activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling pathways that are crucial for cell proliferation and invasiveness. Furthermore, increased aggressiveness of skin tumors is found in genetically modified mice lacking TRs, further demonstrating the role of these receptors as inhibitors of tumor progression. These results define a novel role for the thyroid hormone receptor as a metastasis suppressor gene, providing a starting point for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of human cancer.
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PMID:Thyroid hormone receptor beta1 acts as a potent suppressor of tumor invasiveness and metastasis. 1914 63

Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that reducing the availability of zinc with the extracellular metal chelator DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetate) enhances, rather than inhibits, the thyroid hormone induction of growth hormone mRNA in GH3 rat anterior pituitary tumor cells. To understand the actions of the chelator on cellular zinc status, we observed the effects of DTPA on (65)Zn uptake and retention. DTPA reduced the uptake of (65)Zn by GH3 cells from the medium, but when GH3 cells were prelabeled with (65)Zn, it resulted in greater retention of the isotope. In primary hepatocytes, DTPA both reduced the uptake of (65)Zn from the medium and increased efflux from prelabeled cells. To investigate this difference, we studied the effects of DTPA on radioactive zinc flux in the H4IIE (rat hepatoma), MCF-7 (human breast cancer) and Hs578Bst (nontransformed human mammary) cell lines and in rat primary anterior pituitary cells. DTPA reduced the uptake of (65)Zn in all cell lines examined. DTPA increased the retention of (65)Zn in prelabeled H4IIE, MCF-7 and Hs578Bst cells but reduced it in primary pituitary cells. Time course experiments showed that (65)Zn efflux is shut down rapidly by DTPA in transformed cells, whereas the chelator causes greater efflux from primary hepatocytes over the first 6 h. Experiments with (14)C-labeled DTPA confirmed that this chelator does not cross cell membranes, showing that it operates entirely within the medium. Expression of ZnT-1, the efflux transporter, was not affected by DTPA in H4IIE cells. Thus, zinc deprivation enhanced zinc retention in established cell lines but increased efflux from primary cells, perhaps reflecting differing requirements for this mineral.
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PMID:Zinc retention differs between primary and transformed cells in response to zinc deprivation. 1926 54

Thyroid hormones regulate critical developmental processes and key metabolic pathways. A number of natural and synthetic substances have been identified which adversely interfere with the endocrine system. These so-called endocrine disrupters (ED) have mainly been studied for their impact on the gonadal hormone axis. The aim of this work was to develop a novel sensitive and convenient in vitro screening assay for the detection and characterization of potential ED of thyroid hormone (TH)-dependent transactivation of gene transcription and to apply this tool to test relevant environmental and nutritive ED compounds. We constructed a TH-responsive luciferase-based reporter plasmid and established a reporter gene assay in a 96 well microplate format using the human hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2 as host system. Both the synthetic TH receptor (TR) agonist GC-1 and the antagonist NH-3 were used to evaluate the assay. Concentration-response data of test compounds (food constituents, isoflavones, ultraviolet-absorbers, pesticides, industrial chemicals) were recorded in activation assays. In addition, interference with TH-mediated transactivation was tested by coincubation of the ED with triiodothyronine (T(3)) in competition assays. Most ED tested affected T(3) reporter gene activity at concentrations of 1 microM or higher and displayed either agonistic or mixed agonistic/antagonistic activities. Effects of relevant ED occurred only at relatively high concentrations compared with the endogenous TR ligand T(3). However, on basis of their high production volumes and potential bioaccumulation of some fat-soluble ED our data indicate the need to carefully monitor certain ED for potential disruption of the TH system in intact organisms and humans.
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PMID:Interference of endocrine disrupters with thyroid hormone receptor-dependent transactivation. 1940 56

The objective of this study was to identify genes regulated by thyroid hormone (T(3)) mediated by its receptor (TR) and associated with tumorigenesis. The gene encoding aldo-keto reductase family 1, member B1 (AKR1B1), as previously identified by c-DNA microarray, is known to be up-regulated by T(3) treatment. Enzyme AKR1B1 was elevated roughly 3-fold in HepG2-TRalpha1 cells at the protein level and 4.6-fold increase at the mRNA level after 48 h T(3) treatment. Similar findings were obtained from thyroidectomized rats after T(3) application. To identify and localize the critical TR element (TRE), series deletion of the promoter mutant were constructed and electrophoretic mobility shift assays were carried out. The TRE on the AKR1B1 promoter was localized to the -1099/-1028 region. Further, this study demonstrated that AKR1B1 over-expression in some types of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) is TR-dependent and might play a crucial role in the development of HCC. Thus, T(3) regulates AKR1B1 gene expression via a TRE-dependant mechanism and associates liver cancer.
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PMID:Regulation of AKR1B1 by thyroid hormone and its receptors. 1942 79


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