Role of the transglutaminase enzymes in the nervous system and their possible involvement in neurodegenerative diseases.

Transglutaminases are a large family of related and ubiquitous enzymes which catalyze the cross linking of a glutaminyl residue of a protein/peptide substrate to a lysyl residue of a protein/peptide co-substrate. In addition to lysyl residues, other second nucleophilic co-substrates may include monoamines or polyamines (to form mono- or bi-substituted /crosslinked adducts) or -OH groups (to form ester linkages). In absence of co-substrates, the nucleophile may be water, resulting in the net deamidation of the glutaminyl residue. These enzymes are also capable of catalyzing other reactions important for cell viability. The distribution and the physiological roles of human transglutaminases have been widely studied in numerous cell types and tissues and their roles in several diseases have begun to be identified. Recently, "tissue" transglutaminase (TG2) has been shown to be involved in the molecular mechanisms responsible for a very widespread human pathology, celiac disease (CD). Transglutaminase activity has also been hypothesized to be directly involved in the pathogenetic mechanisms responsible for several human neurodegenerative diseases, which are characterized in part by aberrant cerebral transglutaminase activity and by increased cross-linked proteins in affected brains, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), supranuclear palsy, Huntington's disease (HD) and the other recently identified polyglutamine diseases, and others. In this review we discuss the biological role of the transglutaminases in the nervous system, with particular interest in the molecular mechanisms, which could involve these enzymes in the pathophysiological processes responsible for human neurodegenerative diseases.

Effect of duration and temperature of storage on serum analyte stability: examination of 14 selected radioimmunoassay procedures.

We determined appropriate temperatures for sample storage and the resulting stability of 14 analytes commonly radioimmunoassayed in the clinical laboratory. Serum specimens to be tested for concentrations of cholylglycine, cortisol, digoxin, ferritin, follitropin, immunoglobulin E, lutropin, prolactin, thyroxin (also blood-spot thyroxin), triiodothyronine, and triiodothyronine uptake could be stored for up to two weeks at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen without any loss of analyte activity. Specimens for insulin testing require freezing or refrigeration, and specimens for gastrin testing should be stored at -70 degrees C for optimal results.

[Presacrococcygeal congenital cyst in the adult]. / Cisti congenite pre sacro-coccigee nell'adulto.

Two cases of congenital cyst of the presacral space in the adult are presented. The unusualness of the lesion is stressed, and reference is made to the usefulness of a classification covering all retrorectal neoformations, including congenital forms. Attention is given to the manner of diagnosis. Variations in the surgical technique employed depend on the clinical and anatomical picture, and the potential inflammatory and degenerative aspects of the lesion. Emphasis is placed on the absolute need to section the sacrococcyx to prevent recurrences.

Commercially-supplied binders for plasma cobalamin (vitamin B12), analysis--"purified" intrinsic factor, "cobinamide"-blocked R-protein binder, and non-purified intrinsic factor-R-protein binder--compared to microbiological assay.

Recent evidence (Kolhouse et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 299: 785-792, 1978) demonstrates that commercial cobalamin (Vitamin B12) radioassay kits contain nonspecific R-protein binding agents that can give falsely normal results in patients who are actually cobalamin deficient. We tested three kits: with "purified" intrinsic factor as the binder, with intrinsic factor and the nonspecific R-protein sites blocked with "cobinamide," and non-purified intrinsic factor-R-protein binder. Results with use of the first two compared well with those by a microbiological assay (Lactobacillus leichmannii) and are in harmony with clinical impressions.