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- Gröndal, Staffan, et al.
(author)
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Steroid profile in urine : a useful tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of adrenocortical carcinoma
- 1990
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In: Acta Endocrinologica. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0001-5598 .- 0804-4643 .- 1479-683X. ; 122:5, s. 656-663
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The urinary steroid profile was determined in 24 patients with adrenocortical carcinoma. Seventeen of the patients had Cushing's syndrome, virilization or feminization, and 7 had no signs of endocrine disease. Seven of the 11 patients still alive are free of disease, after a follow-up period of 5-75 months. The steroid profile varied widely between the patients with adrenocortical carcinoma. Patients with Cushing's syndrome had increased levels of cortisol metabolites and those with virilism had raised excretion of androgen metabolites. Six of the patients with adrenocortical carcinoma showed normal values of these metabolites. In 23 of the 24 patients the excretion of 3 beta-hydroxy-5-ene steroids and/or metabolites of cortisol precursors, such as tetrahydro-11-deoxycortisol, were significantly increased, compared with healthy controls or patients with adrenal adenomas. These findings suggest a relative deficit or low activity of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta isomerase and/or 11 beta-hydroxylase in tumour tissue. In the single patient where the steroid profile failed to indicate malignancy, hypercortisolism was seen and the tumour mass was small. The steroid excretion normalized after radical surgery and decreased in patients responding to chemotherapy. During recurred disease the metabolites of 3 beta-hydroxy-5-ene steroids and/or cortisol precursors increased, but in some patients the excretory pattern then was different from that seen before treatment
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Kronqvist, Nina, et al.
(author)
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Efficient protein production inspired by how spiders make silk
- 2017
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In: Nature Communications. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Membrane proteins are targets of most available pharmaceuticals, but they are difficult to produce recombinantly, like many other aggregation-prone proteins. Spiders can produce silk proteins at huge concentrations by sequestering their aggregation-prone regions in micellar structures, where the very soluble N-terminal domain (NT) forms the shell. We hypothesize that fusion to NT could similarly solubilize non-spidroin proteins, and design a charge-reversed mutant (NT star) that is pH insensitive, stabilized and hypersoluble compared to wildtype NT. NT star-transmembrane protein fusions yield up to eight times more of soluble protein in Escherichia coli than fusions with several conventional tags. NT star enables transmembrane peptide purification to homogeneity without chromatography and manufacture of low-cost synthetic lung surfactant that works in an animal model of respiratory disease. NT star also allows efficient expression and purification of non-transmembrane proteins, which are otherwise refractory to recombinant production, and offers a new tool for reluctant proteins in general.
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| 4. |
- Mikolka, Pavol, et al.
(author)
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Impact of synthetic surfactant CHF5633 with SP-B and SP-C analogues on lung function and inflammation in rabbit model of acute respiratory distress syndrome
- 2021
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In: Physiological Reports. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2051-817X. ; 9:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with diffuse inflammation, alveolar epithelial damage, and leakage of plasma proteins into the alveolar space, which together contribute to inactivation of pulmonary surfactant and respiratory failure. Exogenous surfactant delivery is therefore considered to hold potential for ARDS treatment, but clinical trials with natural derived surfactant or synthetic surfactant containing a surfactant protein C (SP-C) analogue have been negative. Synthetic surfactant CHF5633, containing analogues of SP-B and SP-C, may be effective against ARDS. The aim here was to compare treatment effects of CHF5633 and animal-derived surfactant poractant alfa in animal model of ARDS. ARDS was induced in adult New Zealand rabbits by mild lung lavages followed by injurious ventilation until respiratory failure (P/F ratio <26.7 kPa). The animals were then treated with intratracheal bolus of 200 mg/kg CHF5633 or poractant alfa (Curosurf(R)), or air as control. The animals were subsequently ventilated for an additional 4 hr and respiratory parameters were recorded regularly. Postmortem, histological analysis, degree of lung edema, and levels of the cytokines TNF alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 in lung homogenates were evaluated. Both surfactant preparations improved lung function, reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and degree of lung edema to very similar degrees versus the controls. No significant differences in any of the analyzed parameters were observed between the CHF5633- and poractant alfa-treated groups. This study indicates that single dose of CHF5633 improves lung function and attenuates inflammation as effectively as poractant alfa in experimental ARDS caused by injurious ventilation.
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