Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0432222 (SEM)
 47,337 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The presence of human thyroglobulin (HTg) in serum of patients was identical by immunological criteria to the serum standard used in the radioimmunoassay. The serum thyroglobulin levels in untreated patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma ranged from 22.0 to 445.0 ng/ml with a mean of 144.3 +/- 46.5 ng/ml (SEM) (n = 10). The mean serum thyroglobulin measured postoperatively in seven of these patients was 6.4 +/- 1.5 ng/ml, not statistacally different from the mean level of 5.1 +/- 0.49 ng/ml (range 0-20.7 ng/ml) observed in 71 out of 95 control subjects with detectable HTg levels. By contrast serum HTg levels were normal or undetectable in subjects with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. HTg levels were within normal limits in sera of patients who had previously undergone successful therapy for a differentiated thyroid carcinoma and in whom no metastases could be documented. The mean level for this group was 4.9 +/- 0.51 ng/ml (n = 43). In contrast, patients with documented metastases had a mean serum thyroglobulin level of 464.9 +/- 155.6 ng/ml (n = 6). The data support the thesis that in differentiated thyroid carcinoma serum thyroglobulin levels are elevated when metastases develop after initial treatment. It is proposed that the measurement of thyroglobulin in the serum represents a simple and valuable adjunct in the posttreatment follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.
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PMID:Elevated serum thyroglobulin. A marker of metastases in differentiated thyroid carcinomas. 115 Aug 69

We have measured plasma 7B2 (a novel pituitary protein)-immunoreactivity (IR) concentrations in patients with various endocrine disorders. Mean (+/- SEM) basal plasma 7B2-IR concentrations (ng/L) in patients with acromegaly (81 +/- 14.6), Cushing's disease (57.2 +/- 8.5), prolactinoma (71.4 +/- 9.5), panhypopituitarism (50.6 +/- 7.6), isolated ACTH deficiency (47.9 +/- 11.6), hyperthyroidism (57.9 +/- 6.7) and hypothyroidism (60.8 +/- 9.4) were on the same levels as those in age-matched normal subjects. However, basal plasma 7B2-IR concentrations were increased to more than 100 ng/L in 5 out of 25 patients with acromegaly (20%). Mean basal plasma 7B2-IR concentrations in patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid and pheochromocytoma were 293 +/- 38.1 ng/L (range: 225.7-357.4 ng/L, n = 3) and 221 +/- 82.8 ng/L (range: 48.5-527.8 ng/L, n = 5), respectively, and significantly higher than those in age-matched normal subjects (P less than 0.001). These results suggest that plasma 7B2-IR may have some diagnostic value for acromegaly and may be useful as a marker for medullary carcinoma of the thyroid and pheochromocytoma.
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PMID:Plasma 7B2 (a novel pituitary protein) immunoreactivity concentrations in patients with various endocrine disorders. 285 Sep 8

The effects of synthetic [Asu1,7]-eel calcitonin (0.5 MRC unit/kg body weight intravenously for 30 min) on circulating levels of human calcitonin, calcium and gastrin were investigated in five patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. Blood samples were obtained before and 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 min after commencement of infusion of [Asu1,7]-eel calcitonin. Plasma levels of human calcitonin were measured by radioimmunoassay. Cross-reactivity with [Asu1,7]-eel calcitonin in this assay was negligible. On infusion of [Asu1,7]-eel calcitonin, the mean plasma level of human calcitonin decreased significantly to 71.0 +/- 8.7% of the basal level (mean +/- SEM, P less than 0.05) after 30 min and 68.4 +/- 25.4% of the basal level (P less than 0.05) after 60 min. The serum calcium level also decreased significantly, but lagged behind the decrease of human calcitonin, being 95.1 +/- 0.7% of the basal level (P less than 0.01) at 120 min and 94.8 +/- 0.6% of the basal level (P less than 0.02) at 180 min. The mean plasma gastrin level did not change significantly on infusion of [Asu1,7]-eel calcitonin. In pooled data for all times, the percentage change in human calcitonin was not significantly correlated with either the percentage change in calcium (r = -0.25, P greater than 0.1) or the percentage change in gastrin (r = -0.38, P greater than 0.1).
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PMID:Eel calcitonin suppresses plasma human calcitonin levels in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. 369 10

Katacalcin is a recently discovered peptide, contained within the calcitonin precursor. For the highly sensitive radioimmunological measurement of katacalcin and calcitonin we used extraction on C-18, thereby lowering the detection limits in serum to 0.8 pmol/l (katacalcin) and 0.7 pmol/l (calcitonin), and simultaneously improving the specificities of both assays for the monomeric forms of the peptides. Extraction recoveries were greater than 96% and greater than 95% for pure monoiodinated [125I]Tyr(0)-katacalcin and [125I]calcitonin, respectively; and 95-98% and 91-97% respectively for the corresponding unlabelled peptides. This method is sufficiently sensitive and specific for studies on the physiology of both peptides. Gel filtration of serum from a patient with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid showed that the majority of high molecular weight forms of katacalcin and calcitonin did not bind to C-18, and that the eluted material consisted to more than 90% of monomeric katacalcin and calcitonin. Basal levels (mean +/- SEM) of katacalcin were higher in men (3.0 +/- 0.6 pmol/l, age less than 40 years, and 1.8 +/- 0.4 pmol/l, age greater than 40 years) and younger women (2.1 +/- 0.4 pmol/l) than in older women (1.3 +/- 0.6 pmol/l; p less than 0.02). The respective values for calcitonin were 5.1 +/- 0.9 and 4.0 +/- 0.6 pmol/l for young and older men, and 2.3 +/- 0.4 and 2.8 +/- 0.8 pmol/l for young and older women, with a significant sex-related difference in both age groups. Basal serum levels of katacalcin and calcitonin were highly correlated (katacalcin = 0.66 calcitonin -0.12 pmol/l; p less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Determination of circulating monomeric katacalcin and calcitonin: physiological studies in normal subjects. 375 63

Peptidyl glycine alpha-amidation activity has been detected in human plasma and in several human tissues known to synthesize biologically active alpha-amidated peptides. Activity was monitored by measuring conversion of mono-[125I]-D-Tyr-Val-Gly into mono-[125I]-D-Tyr-Val-NH2. The plasma alpha-amidation activity is dependent on molecular oxygen, copper, and ascorbic acid and appears to recognize a variety of peptide substrates which contain carboxyl terminal glycine residues. Kinetic analyses demonstrated Michaelis-Menten kinetics with a Km of 14 mumol/L for D-Tyr-Val-Gly. Based on gel filtration, the apparent molecular weight of the peptidyl glycine alpha-amidation activity in human serum is 60,000. The level of peptidyl glycine alpha-amidation activity in adult plasma (N = 17) was 106 +/- 3 pmol/mL/h (Mean +/- SEM) with no difference between male and female subjects (range 84 to 126 pmol/mL/h). In subjects under 15 years old (N = 10), mean plasma activity was 128 +/- 10 pmol/mL/h, higher than values for adult control plasma (P less than .05). In serum from hypothyroid adults (N = 13), mean serum activity was 141 +/- 11 pmol/mL/hr, higher than euthyroid controls (P less than .025). The most striking elevations in alpha-amidation activity occurred in plasma from patients with peptide-secreting tumors. Patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (N = 19) had a mean plasma peptidyl glycine alpha-amidation activity of 142 +/- 52 pmol/mL/h (range 84 to 435 pmol/mL/h). The level of plasma alpha-amidation activity in one patient with metastatic carcinoid tumor was 560 pmol/mL/h.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Characterization of a peptide alpha-amidation activity in human plasma and tissues. 405 9

The release of histaminase activity in plasma after small intravenous of heparin was studied in 85 normal subjects and patients. In normal subjects, plasma histaminase activity (basal level, 1.7+/-0.1 U/ml, mean +/-SEM) increased 1.6+/-0.2 U/ml after 10 U of heparin/kg, 8.5+/-2.4 U/ml after 20 U/kg, and 33+/-4.9 U/ml after 75 U/kg. The extent of the increase varied widely among individuals but in a particular individual the response was constant and dose-dependent. Histaminase activity rose to peak levels within 7-15 min and then declined exponentially with a half-life of 40-120 min. This pattern of response was also observed in two patients with the histaminase-producing tumor, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. A significantly reduced response was observed, however, in 14 patients with type I hyperlipoproteinemia, a disorder in which high plasma triglyceride levels are associated with low postheparin plasma lipolytic activity. After 10 U heparin/kg, plasma histamine activity increased 0.5+/-0.2 U/ml, and after 75 U heparin/kg, 10.9+/-5.6 U/ml. In contrast, in 27 patients with other types of hyperlipoproteinemia in whom postheparin lipolytic activity was normal, the increase (2.4+/-0.6 U/ml) in plasma histaminase activity after 10 U heparin/kg was not significantly different from that of normal subjects. The reduced response of the plasma histaminase activity to heparin in patients with type I hyperlipoproteinemia did not appear to be due to the presence of lipemia or to an inhibitor of the enzyme in plasma. These findings suggest that many patients with type I hyperlipoproteinemia may have deficient release of both lipolytic and histaminase activities into plasma after heparin administration.
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PMID:Response of plasma histaminase activity to small doses of heparin in normal subjects and patients with hyperlipoproteinemia. 419 95

Calcitonin-like peptides have been identified in the serum of normal subjects and of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) patients. Using specific homologous radioimmunoassays (RIA) in combination with reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and gel permeation chromatography under denaturing conditions, we have recognized major components which coeluted with human calcitonin-(1-32), PDN-21, a carboxyl-terminal flanking peptide derived from the calcitonin mRNA sequence, and salmon calcitonin-(1-32). An additional 12000 molecular weight peak possibly represents a human calcitonin-PDN-21 polyprotein. In both the human calcitonin-(1-32) (normal value less than 0.043 ngEq/ml; MTC 140 +/- 80 ngEq/ml, mean value +/- SEM) and the PDN-21 (normal value less than 0.050 ngEq/ml; MTC 33.6 +/- 16.5 ngEq/ml) RIAs, serum levels were increased in MTC patients. Circulating levels of the salmon calcitonin-like peptide were indistinguishable between normal subjects (0.038 +/- 0.006 ngEq/ml) and MTC patients (0.037 +/- 0.011 ngEq/ml).
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PMID:Salmon and human calcitonin-like peptides in man. 672 77

High calcitonin levels have been reported in chronic renal failure. To study the C cell response in patients with chronic renal failure, an intravenous bolus of pentagastrin was administered to 11 patients and 11 healthy subjects. Samples were obtained at 0, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 min for calcitonin assay. In order to detect only the active monomeric calcitonin, an immunoradiometric assay method was used. The influence of calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase and intact parathyroid hormone was also evaluated. Although basal calcitonin levels were higher (p < 0.01) in chronic renal failure (mean +/- SEM: 10.1 +/- 2.9 pmol/l) versus healthy subjects (1.1 +/- 0.3 pmol/l), the area under the curve showed there to be no differences between the two groups. The rising branch of the area under the curve, employed as an expression of the C cell response capacity, showed no differences either (chronic renal failure vs healthy subjects: 5.6 +/- 2 vs 2.6 +/- 0.7 pmol l-1 min-1, p = 0.28). In the chronic renal failure group, a positive correlation was found (r = 0.625, p < 0.05) between the rising branch of the area under the curve and parathyroid hormone. We conclude that monomeric calcitonin is increased in chronic renal failure, but C cells of the thyroid respond to pentagastrin, as they do in normal subjects. This finding is of great clinical importance when a patient with renal impairment is evaluated for medullary thyroid carcinoma. The calcitonin response to pentagastrin seems to be related directly to the degree of secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic renal failure.
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PMID:Normal calcitonin response to pentagastrin stimulation in patients with chronic renal failure. 835 57

We previously reported on the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFA) for treating hepatic neuroendocrine metastases. The aim of this study is to report our 5-year RFA experience in the treatment of these challenging group of patients. Of the 222 patients with 803 liver primary and secondary tumors undergoing laparoscopic RFA between January 1996 and August 2001, a total of 34 patients with 234 tumors had neuroendocrine liver metastases. There were 25 men and 9 women with a mean +/- SEM age of 52 +/- 2 years who underwent 42 ablations. Primary tumor types included carcinoid tumor in 18 patients, medullary thyroid cancer in 7, secreting islet cell tumor in 5, and nonsecreting islet cell tumor in 4. There was no mortality, and the morbidity was 5%. The mean hospital stay was 1.1 days. Symptoms were ameliorated in 95%, with significant or complete symptom control in 80% of the patients for a mean of 10+ months (range 6-24 months). All patients were followed for a mean +/- SEM of 1.6 +/- 0.2 years (range 1.0-5.4 years). During this period new liver lesions developed in 28% of patients, new extrahepatic disease in 25%, and local liver recurrence in 13%; existing liver lesions progressed in 13%. Overall 41% of patients showed no progression of their cancer. Nine patients (27%) died. Mean +/- SEM survivals after diagnosis of primary disease, detection of liver metastases, and performance of RFA were 5.5 +/- 0.8 years, 3.0 +/- 0.3 years, and 1.6 +/- 0.2 years, respectively. Sixty-five percent of the patients demonstrated a partial or significant decrease in their tumor markers during follow-up. In conclusion, RFA provides excellent local tumor control with overnight hospitalization and low morbidity in the treatment of liver metastases from neuroendocrine tumors. It is a useful modality in the management of these challenging group of patients.
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PMID:Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation of neuroendocrine liver metastases. 1201 79