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J Robbins

Publications and source records attributed to J Robbins.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Effects of estrogen on thyroxine-binding globulin metabolism in rhesus monkeys.

To investigate the effects of estrogen on thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) metabolism, 4 female Rhesus monkeys were studied before and 3-4 weeks after implantation of beta-estradiol (E2)-containing capsules. In addition, 2 of the animals were also studied for the first 7 days after the start of E2. Serum E2 increased 10-fold from 20 +/- 7 to 212 +/- 41 pg/ml. Serum TBG, initially 20.2 +/- 6 mug/ml, was elevated by 24 h after E2 implantation, and reached a steady level of 46.8 +/- 5.0 mug/ml by 7-10 days. For the turnover studies, highly purified [125I]iodo-TBG was injected iv and serum [125I]PBI and urinary 125I excretion were measured daily. TBG kinetics were evaluated by use of a compartmental model. Although a 2-compartment model was sufficient to fit the control and late E2 data, a 3-compartment model was developed in order to account for the modifications observed during the early E2 period. The final decay rate (k) of TBG was 0.26 +/- 0.01/day during the control period and was slightly lower after E2 (0.23 +/- 0.01/day). In the 2 monkeys studied during the early E2 period, the major effect of E2 was a stimulation of the TBG production rate. This was simulated in the model by a stepwise increase occurring in the last quarter of the first day after E2. There was also an abrupt redistribution of TBG in the compartments defined by the model. The total distribution or serum equivalent volume of TBG after 3-4 weeks of E2 increased 1.4-fold, from 338 +/- 37 ml to 458 +/- 22 ml, and the metabolic clearance rate increased 1.3-fold, from 90 +/- 10 ml/d to 113 +/- 12 ml/d. The increase in the final TBG production rate (2.9-fold) was only slightly greater than the rate calculated for the early E2 period, and was similar to the increase we have recently found in monkey hepatocytes studied in vitro after isolation from E2-treated animals. It appears that stimulation of hepatic synthesis of TBG accounts for the elevated serum levels of TBG observed after estrogen.

Animals

Stimulation of thyroxine-binding globulin synthesis by isolated rhesus monkey hepatocytes after in vivo beta-estradiol administration.

The rate of in vitro production of thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) was studied in hepatocytes isolated from 6 control rhesus monkeys (serum TBG: 19.6 +/- 0.5 micrograms/ml; mean +/- SE) and 6 monkeys treated for 4-5 weeks with beta-estradiol (E2) (serum TBG: 45.1 +/- 1.8 micrograms/ml). Incorporation of [3H]leucine into intracellular soluble and particle-bound TBG, and into secreted TBG was determined for incubation periods up to 9 h. TBG was purified by affinity chromatography and measured by specific immunoprecipitation. The absolute amount of [3H]TBG and the ratio of [3H]TBG to total labeled protein in the same fraction were 3-fold higher in the particulate fraction and in the incubation medium of hepatocytes isolated from E2-treated monkeys. In separate experiments, TBG accumulation in the medium was measured for periods up to 19 h by radioimmunoassay. A 2.4-fold increase was observed with hepatocytes from E2-treated monkeys (3.48 ng TBG/h/10(7) cells, compared to 1.46 in controls). Correction of the production rates for the number of cells surviving during the incubation, and assuming 10.2 x 10(9) cells per liver, gave TBG production rates of 250 micrograms/liver/day in hepatocytes from E2-treated monkeys and 104 micrograms/day in hepatocytes from control monkeys. These experiments demonstrate that estrogen increases in vitro synthesis and secretion of TBG by isolated hepatocytes. The observed 2.4 to 3-fold increase was similar to the 2.9-fold increase in TBG production measured in vivo by kinetic analysis of TBG metabolism.

Animals

Characterization of abnormal thyroglobulin in a transplantable rat thyroid tumor.

The solube iodoproteins in a transplantable rat throid tumor (Wollman Line 1-8) were studied after in vivo labeling with 125 I and were partially purified by affinity chromatography on anti-thyroglobulin-AGAROSE. A major fraction ('Peak A') was excluded from gels of large pore size, but had a low sedimentation rate (approximately8S) and did not appear to contain aggregates. It had a high density (approximately1.4) which was possibly due to a high content of carbohydrate, since treatment with a crude glycosidase mixture lowered the density to approximately1.3. A second fraction ('Peak B') had a similar sedimentation coefficient (6-9S) but penetrated the same gels and had a lower density (approximately 1.3). Both proteins formed soluble complexes with antibodies against normal rat thyroglobulin, and had other properties somewhat similar to those of thyroglobulin. After hydrolysis, mono- and diiodotyrosine were the only iodoamino acids liberated. These iodoproteins appears to represent abnormal forms of thyroglobulin synthesized by the tumor.

Animals

Fine-needle aspiration cytology in the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

Fifty consecutive patients were studied to assess the utility of fine-needle aspiration cytology for the diagnosis of hypofunctioning thyroid nodules. In two patients, cysts were evacuated and did not recur. Thirty-three patients underwent excisional biopsy; the aspiration biopsy result was not a criterion for surgery. Satisfactory aspiration specimens were obtained in 32 patients (97%). The diagnosis in nine aspiration specimens was malignant; of these seven (78%) were correct and there was one false-positive and one occult carcinoma unrelated to the clinically detected nodule. Five aspirations showed suspected malignancy; of these, two were carcinoma, one was an occult carcinoma, and two were benign. Eighteen aspirations were interpreted as benign; of these, 17 (94%) were correct and the one false-negative diagnosis was a well-differentiated follicular carcinoma. The procedure is useful in assessing the need for surgery in high-risk patients and in selecting patients for thyroid-suppression therapy.

Adult

Haematemesis.

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Child

Thyroxine-binding globulin biosynthesis in isolated monkey hepatocytes.

Thyroxine-binding globulin biosynthesis was demonstrated in hepatocytes isolated from normal adult Rhesus monkeys. Dispersed cells were obtained by in situ liver perfusion with collagenase, hyaluronidase and EDTA. Conditions for optimum cell survival and incorporation of radioactive leucine into newly synthesized proteins were defined. Protein synthesis, and specifically thyroxine-binding globulin synthesis, were shown to continue throughout the incubation period, while cell survival remained high (75% excluded trypan blue after 6h). Incubation medium, cytosol and a particulate fraction (extracted with digitonin) were analyzed for thyroxine-binding globulin. After extensive dialysis and purification by affinity chromatography, newly synthesized thyroxine-binding globulin was identified by specific double-antibody immunoprecipitation and by immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis with autoradiography. Newly synthesized thyroxine-binding globulin was present after 4 h of incubation. After 6 h, the total synthesized had increased to 150% of the 4 h value, while the fraction present in the medium and increased to 300%, indicating probable thyroxine-binding globulin secretion

Animals

Use of lithium as an adjunct to radioiodine therapy of thyroid carcinoma.

The effect of lithium on iodine kinetics after oral 131I-iodide was studied in an athyreotic patient with follicular thyroid carcinoma. Lithium decreased the disappearance rate of 131I from the whole body and from a tumor mass in the patient's thigh from control values of 0.126/day, respectively, while having only a minimal effect on the rate of 131I disappearance from blood. The increased tumor 131I retention would be expected to increase the therapeutic:toxic ratio of 131I. However, a subsequent therapeutic dose of 131I-iodide given with lithium was accompanied by an unanticipated increase in blood 131I and, therefore, in whole body radiation, resulting in significant bone marrow depression. Although lithium may be a useful adjunct in 131I therapy of functional thyroid carcinoma, it must be used cautiously in future studies.

Adult

Radioimmunoassay for serum thyroxine-binding globulin: results in normal subjects and in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Serum thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) was measured by radioimmunoassay. The human TBG used in this study was purified by affinity, anion-exchange, and gel filtration chromatography. The serum TBG concentration in 98 euthyroid normals was 1.48 +/- 0.46 mg/100 ml (mean +/- SD), which is one-half that previously reported using a similar method. The level in females (1.66 +/- 0.56) was significantly higher than that in males (1.37 +/- 0.37). Comparison of the serum TBG level and the maximum binding capacity of serum TBG for thyroxine (T4) yielded a molar ratio of 1:1 for T4 and TBG. The mean serum TBG in 19 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was 2.10 +/- 1.29 mg/100 ml; however, only 2 of these patients had serum TBG levels outside the normal range.

Adult

Thyroxine-binding proteins.

As is the case for most small molecules in the body, the thyroid hormones are involved in interaction with proteins. The present discussion has centered on the hormone-protein interactions which occur in plasma. Although some of this is with proteins which also engage in other binding reactions, at least one protein, TBG, seems to exist only for the purpose of binding the thyroid hormones, and the interaction energy is extremely high. While this would lead us to suspect that is has an important role in hormone physiology, its function seems to be only of secondary significance. The peculiar role of PA in the transport of a vitamin as well as thyroid hormones also suggests a specific function, but none has become apparent. Knowledge of these proteins and their variation are of considerable importance to several commonly employed diagnostic tests of thyroid function. Their greatest importance at the present time, however, seems to be as models of thyroid hormone-protein interaction. The rapid advances being made in the isolation and characterization of TBG and PA provide the means to gain detailed chemical knowledge about two rather different types of binding sites. Hopefully, this will form the basis for similar knowledge about the active sites for the hormones on cellular proteins. Conceivably, this will help to further our understanding about the mechanism of hormone action.

Alpha-Globulins

The site of sialic acid incorporation into thyroglobulin in the thyroid gland.

Iodine incorporation into thyroglobulin is known to occur within the lumen of the thyroid follicle. Since incorporation of sialic acid, which occupies a terminal position in the oligosaccharide chains, is also a later event in thyroglobulin synthesis, the possibility that sialic acid might be incorporated after thyroglobulin secretion was investigated. In one experimental approach normal rat thyroid hemilobes were incubated with radioactive precursors. Thyroglobulin, analyzed by equilibrium centrifugation in RbCl, had a median density which varied according to the moiety labeled in the following increasing order: leucine smaller than galactose smaller than sialic acid smaller than iodine. The molecules having the highest density were labeled only with iodine. In the second approach, thyroid hemilobes were taken from rats treated with cycloheximide for 16 hours to stop protein synthesis and allow nascent molecules to be secreted, and incorporation of precursors into thyroglobulin was analyzed by sucrose gradient centrifugation. Leucine incorporation was 6% of control but the amino acid was found in the NH2-terminal position. N-Acetylmannosamine (sialic acid precursor) and galactose incorporation were also completely inhibited whereas iodine incorporation was 10% of control. Incorporation was not restored by thyrotropin treatment, and the sialyltransferase and iodination systems were reduced only to 50 to 70% of control. The results indicate that sialic acid is incorporated only in nascent thyroglobulin and not in thyroglobulin molecules already secreted into the follicular lumen. A large fraction of the iodine incorporation also seems to occur in newly synthesized thyroglobulin.

Animals

Negative cooperativity in the binding of thyroxine to human serum prealbumin. Preparation of tritium-labeled 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid.

The binding of thyroxine (T4) and 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) to human serum prealbumin was measured by equilibrium dialysis at pH 7.4 in 0.05 M phosphate-0.10 M NaCl at 25 degrees. The data were analyzed for the binding constants based on equations for (1) two independent sites and (2) two identical sites with negative interaction. Evaluation by the independent site model gave the following association constants: for T4 binding, KT1 = 1.0 x 10-8 M-1, KT2 = 9.5 x 10-5 M-1; for ANS binding, KA1 = 9.5 x 10-5 M-1, KA2 = 2.1 x 10-5 M-1. The interactive model gave constants kT = 5.5 x 10-7 M-1 and kA = 5.5 x 10-5 M-1. Interaction factors, alpha, defined such that -RT in alpha is the energy of interaction, were: alpha T = 0.041 AND ALPHA A = 0.62 for T4 and ANS, respectively. The "best fit" values for the number of sites were 2.0 and 1.6 for T4 and ANS, respectively. The binding of T4 to human prealbumin was competitive with ANS, and the binding constants evaluated from competition experiments were in agreement with those found for each ligand when studied separately. On the basis of analysis of X-ray data of human prealbumin (Blake et al.) there appear to be two identical T4 sites. It is therefore evident that the binding of T4 represents a case of negative cooperativity which is presumably due to interaction between ligands.

Anilino Naphthalenesulfonates

Defective thyroglobulin synthesis in an experimental rat thyroid tumor: iodination and thyroid hormone synthesis in isolated tumor thyroglobulin.

Purified rat tumor thyroglobulin from the experimental rat thyroid tumor, line 1-1C2, was studied for its thyroid hormone content after in vivo and in vitro iodination and compared with normal and desialylated normal rat thyroglobulin. Tumor thyroglobulin had a very low sialic acid and iodine content; after in vivo iodination it contained only small amounts of triiodothyronine (T3) and no detectable thyroxine (T4). After in vitro iodination with 125I it showed a distribution of T3 and T4 very similar to that of normal and desialylated normal thyroglobulin iodinated in vitro. In vitro iodination dissociated tumor and desialylated normal thyroglobulin to a greater extent than normal thyroglobulin. Tumor tissue, on the other hand, showed considerable iodinating activity in the 105,000 X g pellet when studied with exogenous acceptors. These results are compatible with a role for sialic acid in the maturation and migration of thyroglobulin to the iodination site, rpovided that the intracellular distribution of the iodinating enzymes are normal.

Animals