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)

Human placental lactogen (hPL), alpha fetoprotein (AFP), prolactin (PRL) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) were measured by radioimmunoassay in plasma, in homogenates of trophoblast, decidua, chorion, amnion and in amniotic fluid from 10 patients after non-complicated term delivery. Plasma samples and homogenates of trophoblast and decidua were also collected from 10 patients undergoing surgical termination of pregnancy between 7 and 12 weeks gestation. In addition, plasma and endometrial samples from 10 patients undergoing hysterectomy for other indications than malignancy were analysed for comparison. The highest tissue concentrations of hPL, AFP and PRL corresponded in each case to the known site of synthesis. For PAPP-A the highest concentration was found in maternal plasma at term [238.8 +/- 75.6 (SEM) micrograms/ml]. The highest tissue concentration was found at term in the decidua (57.0 +/- 2.0 micrograms/g), more than three times higher than that in the trophoblast (16.9 +/- 5.4 micrograms/g). The concentrations of PAPP-A in endometrial samples from non-pregnant women (1.9 +/- 0.6 micrograms/g) was 40 times higher than that in the corresponding plasma samples (0.05 +/- 0.02 microgram/ml). These observations point to the decidua as a possible source of PAPP-A.
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PMID:Tissue and plasma concentrations of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A): comparison with other fetoplacental products. 617 36

With a view to initiating clinical trials, cell morphology and function for a newly developed artificial liver support system employing highly functional human liver cell line, FLC-7, cultured in a radial flow bioreactor were compared to cells grown in a conventional monolayer culture. The radial flow bioreactor consists of a vertically extended cylindrical matrix comprised of porous glass bead microcarriers through which liquid medium flows from the periphery in toward the central axis generating a beneficial concentration gradient of oxygen and nutrients, while preventing excessive shear stresses or buildup of waste products. The three-dimensional culture system supports high-density (1.1 x 10(8) cells/ml-matrix), large scale cultures (4.4 x 10(10) cells/400 ml-bioreactor) with long-term viability. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) revealed that cells cultured in a monolayer system were flattened and extended with numerous cytoplasmic projections. Cells in the three-dimensional culture were spherical and covered with microvillilike processes resembling liver cells in vivo. The cells were solidly attached on the surfaces and within the pores of the microcarriers in highly dense colonies. The spherical cells remained in close contact with adjacent cells, while circulation of liquid medium flowed freely through spaces between cells. FLC-7 cells produced albumin at a rate of 6.41 micrograms/24 h/10(6) cells. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) production dropped nearly threefold in comparison to monolayer cultures. Results demonstrated that the new artificial liver support systems (ALSS) provides a superior three-dimensional culture environment that allows cells to perform at naturally functioning levels.
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PMID:Massive culture of human liver cancer cells in a newly developed radial flow bioreactor system: ultrafine structure of functionally enhanced hepatocarcinoma cell lines. 954 47

In clinical practice it is important to differentiate pseudocysts from cystic pancreatic tumors, especially potentially malignant mucinous cystic tumors. We investigated three new markers-tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) and the free alpha and beta subunits of human choriogonadotropin (hCGalpha and hCGbeta, respectively)-in the cyst fluid of patients with cystic pancreatic lesions and compared the concentrations of these markers to those of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA 19-9, CA 242, CA 125, CA 15-3, alpha-fetoprotein, and tissue polypeptide antigen in order to distinguish benign cysts from malignant cysts. Between 1995 and 2001, a total of 34 patients operated on for cystic pancreatic lesions at Tampere University Hospital were included. Cyst fluid was aspirated at operation and stored at -70 C. The histologic diagnosis was pseudocyst in 23 patients, serous cystadenoma (SCA) in four patients, benign mucinous cystadenoma (MCA) in four patients, cystic papillary neoplasm (CPN) in one patient, glucagonoma in one patient, and malignant endocrine islet cell carcinoma (EC) in one patient. Significantly higher concentrations of TATI were found in patients with MCA and EC (2239 +/- 149 microg/L [mean +/- SEM]) than in patients with pseudocyst (55 +/- 29 microg/L; P=0.001) and in patients with SCA (36 +/- 23 microg/L; P=0.01). The patient with CPN and the patient with glucagonoma had relatively low levels of TATI (30.7 and 46.5 microg/L). Mean CEA was higher in patients with MCA compared to those with pseudocysts (19,993 +/- 9418 vs. 53 +/- 20 microg/L, P=0.002) and SCA (0.4 +/- 0.1 microg/L; P=0.02), but in the patient with malignant EC, the patient with CPN, and the patient with glucagonoma, CEA was normal. HCGalpha, hCGbeta, CA 19-9, CA 242, CA 125, CA 15-3, alpha fetoprotein, and tissue polypeptide antigen could not distinguish between MCA vs. pseudocyst or SCA, because both normal and elevated values were seen in all groups. To our knowledge, this is the first time that TATI has been quantitated in the cyst fluid of patients with cystic pancreatic lesions. It appears to be a potential marker in the differential diagnosis of benign from malignant cystic pancreatic lesions.
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PMID:Cyst fluid tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor may be helpful in the differentiation of cystic pancreatic lesions. 1523 93

In this study, we established a sensitive label-free immunosensor by palladium-reduced graphene oxide (Pd-rGO), which was prepared by one-pot synthesis under the reduction of extra-injected CO gas. The Pd-rGO nanocomposite structure has been confirmed by TEM, SEM, X-ray diffraction, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The Pd-rGO nanocomposite exhibited excellent stability in aqueous dispersion. The Pd-rGO-based label-free electrochemical immunosensor was used for detection of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) biomarker alpha fetoprotein (AFP). The immunosensor determination was based on the fact that due to the formation of antigen-antibody immunocomplex, the decreased response amperometric currents of H2O2 were directly proportional to the concentrations of AFP. The limit of detection of this immunosensor for AFP detection is 5 pg/mL, and is linear from 0.01 to 12 ng/mL. The proposed immunosensor has been used to determine AFP in clinical serum samples with satisfactory results. This suggests the sensor may have great potential utility in the clinic.
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PMID:Label-free alpha fetoprotein immunosensor established by the facile synthesis of a palladium-graphene nanocomposite. 2490 81

Herein, a dual signal amplification strategy was employed in fabricating ultrasensitive electrochemical immunosensor for alpha fetoprotein (AFP) detection, which was realized by utilizing of ZnO nanorods/Au nanopaticles hybridized reduced graphene nanosheet (Au/ZnO/RGO) and horseradish-peroxidase (HRP) bioconjugated detection antibody (Ab2) functionalized Au@ZnO (Ab2/HRP-Au@ZnO). During the fabrication of the immunosensor, a new kind of multiple-head surfactants CxN3 with different alkyl chain length played important roles such as acting as the surfactants of Au/ZnO/RGO and the reductant agents of Au@ZnO composite. Due to the good adsorption property and large surface area of Au/ZnO/RGO, plenty of the capture antibodies (Ab1) were immobilized on the electrode surface, and trace AFP was sensitively monitored. Furthermore, Ab2/HRP-Au@ZnO exhibited high affinity interaction with AFP through "sandwich" immunoreactions, along with the peroxidase-like catalytic activity of Au@ZnO, leading to a further enhancement in the sensitivity of the proposed immunosensor. The successful synthesis of the nanomaterials was characterized through a serious of techniques including Raman, XRD, FT-IR, SEM and UV-vis. Under the optimal conditions, two linear ranges of 0.02-10,000 and 10,000-100,000pgmL-1 AFP with a lower detection limit of 0.01pg mL-1 (S/N=3) was obtained. Especially, the proposed AFP immunosensor can be applied to detect human serum samples with satisfactory results, indicating a potential application in clinical monitoring of tumor biomarkers.
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PMID:Dual signal amplification strategy of Au nanopaticles/ZnO nanorods hybridized reduced graphene nanosheet and multienzyme functionalized Au@ZnO composites for ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of tumor biomarker. 2860 Sep 90