Highly Sensitive and Specific Molecular Test for Mutations in the Diagnosis of Thyroid Nodules: A Prospective Study of BRAF-Prevalent Population

Molecular testing offers more objective information in the diagnosis and personalized decision making for thyroid nodules. In Korea, as the BRAF V600E mutation is detected in 70–80% of thyroid cancer specimens, its testing in fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology specimens alone has been used for the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules until now. Thus, we aimed to develop a mutation panel to detect not only BRAF V600E, but also other common genetic alterations in thyroid cancer and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the mutation panel for thyroid nodules in Korea. For this prospective study, FNA specimens of 430 nodules were obtained from patients who underwent thyroid surgery for thyroid nodules. A molecular test was devised using real-time PCR to detect common genetic alterations in thyroid cancer, including BRAF, N-, H-, and K-RAS mutations and rearrangements of RET/PTC and PAX8/PPARr. Positive results for the mutation panel were confirmed by sequencing. Among the 430 FNA specimens, genetic alterations were detected in 293 cases (68%). BRAF V600E (240 of 347 cases, 69%) was the most prevalent mutation in thyroid cancer. The RAS mutation was most prevalently detected for indeterminate cytology. Among the 293 mutation-positive cases, 287 (98%) were diagnosed as cancer. The combination of molecular testing and cytology improved sensitivity from 72% (cytology alone) to 89% (combination), with a specificity of 93%. We verified the excellent diagnostic performance of the mutation panel applicable for clinical practice in Korea. A plan has been devised to validate its performance using independent FNA specimens.

Antioxidant Activities and Total Phenolic Content of Aqueous Extract of Pleurotus ostreatus (Cultivated Oyster Mushroom)

Pleurotus ostreatus better known as oyster mushroom is widely cultivated and consumed as food in Malaysia. The present study aims to assess the antioxidative potential and total phenolic content of P. ostreatus aqueous extract. The antioxidant activities were evaluated against DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activity, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and β-carotene-linoleate bleaching assay, and the Folin-Ciocalteu method for total phenolic content (TPC). The DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activity was found to be 63.20% and 87.29% respectively; antioxidant activity using FRAP at 1.45 mM FE/100g and β-carotenelinoleate bleaching assay was 83.51%, while the TPC was found to be 798.55 mg GAE/100g. These antioxidant activities were compared to synthetic antioxidant, BHA and ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid showed highest scavenging effects on DPPH and ABTS radical, followed by P. ostreatus and BHA (at maximum safety limit). The ferric reducing power of P. ostreatus was significantly higher than BHA and ascorbic acid. The antioxidant activity as assessed in β-carotene-linoleate bleaching assay was found to be higher in BHA compared to P. ostreatus. The aqueous extract of P. ostreatus was found to respond differently in antioxidant assays. The antioxidative activity of the aqueous extract of P. ostreatus correlated with its total phenolic content. Generally, the antioxidant activities of P. ostreatus' aqueous extract are comparable to that of BHA and ascorbic acid to a certain extent.

Protein glycation: creation of catalytic sites for free radical generation

In a glycation reaction, alpha-dicarbonyl compounds such as deoxyglucosone, methylglyoxal, and glyoxal are more reactive than the parent sugars with respect to their ability to react with amino groups of proteins to form inter- and intramolecular cross-links of proteins, stable end products called advanced Maillard products or advanced end products (AGEs). The AGEs, which are irreversibly formed, accumulate with aging, atherosclerosis, and diabetes mellitus, and are especially associated with long-lived proteins such as collagens, lens crystallins, and nerve proteins. It was suggested that the formation of AGEs not only modifies protein properites but also induces biological damage in vivo. In this report, we summerize results obtained from our studies for (1) identifying the structure of the cross-linked radical species formed in the model system-the reaction between alpha-dicarbonyl methylglyoxal with amino acids, and (2) the reactivity of the radical center of the protein created by the similar reaction. These results indicate that glycation of protein generates active centers for catalyzing one-electron oxidation-reduction reactions. This active center, which exhibits enzyme-like character, is suggested to be the cross-linked Schiff-based radical cation of the protein. It mimics the characteristics of the metal-catalyzed oxidation system. These results together indicate that glycated proteins accumulated in vivo provide stable active sites for catalyzing the formation of free redicals.

Enhanced free radical generation of FALS-associated Cu,Zn-SOD mutants

Familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS) is an inherited disorder of motor neurons, which is associated with missense mutations in the Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) gene. Mice from the G93A transgenic line were reported to develop a syndrome of FALS. The fact that the symptoms occurred against a background of normal mouse Cu,Zn-SOD activity suggests that dominant, gain-of-function mutations in SOD play a role in the pathogenesis of FALS. We investigated the nature of this gain-of-function of FALS mutants. We have previously reported that Cu,Zn-SOD has the free radical-generating function in addition to normal dismutation activity. These two enzymic activities were compared by using mutants (G93A and A4V) and the wild-type Cu,Zn-SOD prepared by recombinant method. Our results showed that the wild-type, G93A, and A4V enzymes have identical dismutation activity. However, the free radical-generating function of the G93A and A4V mutants, as measured by the spin trapping and EPR method, is enhanced relative to that of the wild-type enzyme (wild type < G93A < A4V), particularly at lower H(2)O(2) concentrations. This is due to the decrease in the K(m) value for H(2)O(2), wild-type > G93A > A4V. The catalytic activity to generate free radicals is correlated to the clinical severity of the disorder induced by these mutant enzymes. Furthermore, we found that intact FALS mutants failed to enhance tyrosine nitration. Together our results indicate that the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis symptoms are not caused by the reduction of Cu,Zn-SOD dismutation activity with the mutant enzymes; rather, it is induced in part by enhancement of the free radical-generating function.

Oxidation-reduction properties of methylglyoxal-modified protein in relation to free radical generation

Oxidation-reduction properties of methylglyoxal-modified protein in relation to free radical generation were investigated. Glycation of bovine serum albumin by methylglyoxal generated the protein-bound free radical, probably the cation radical of the cross-linked Schiff base, as observed in the reaction of methylglyoxal with L-alanine (Yim, H.-S., Kang, S.-O., Hah, Y. C., Chock, P. B., and Yim, M. B. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 28228-28233) or with Nalpha-acetyl-L-lysine. The glycated bovine serum albumin showed increased electrophoretic mobility suggesting that the basic residues, such as lysine, were modified by methylglyoxal. The glycated protein reduced ferricytochrome c to ferrocytochrome c in the absence of oxygen or added metal ions. This reduction of cytochrome c was accompanied by a large increase in the amplitude of the electron paramagnetic resonance signal originated from the protein-bound free radical. In addition, the glycated protein catalyzed the oxidation of ascorbate in the presence of oxygen, whereas the protein free radical signal disappeared. These results indicate that glycation of protein generates active centers for catalyzing one-electron oxidation-reduction reactions. This active center, which exhibits enzyme-like characteristic, was suggested to be the cross-linked Schiff base/the cross-linked Schiff base radical cation of the protein. It mimics the characteristics of the metal-catalyzed oxidation system. The glycated bovine serum albumin cross-linked further to the cytochrome c in the absence of methylglyoxal. The cross-linked cytochrome c maintains its oxidation-reduction properties. These results together indicate that glycated proteins accumulated in vivo provide stable active sites for catalyzing the formation of free radicals.

A familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated A4V Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase mutant has a lower Km for hydrogen peroxide. Correlation between clinical severity and the Km value

Point mutations of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) have been linked to familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). We reported that Cu,Zn-SOD can catalyze free radical generation and a FALS mutant, G93A, exhibits an enhanced free radical-generating activity, while its dismutation activity is identical to that of the wild-type enzyme (Yim, M. B., Kang, J.-H., Yim, H.-S., Kwak, H.-S., Chock, P. B., and Stadtman, E. R. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 93, 5709-5714). The A4V mutation is both the most commonly detected of FALS-associated SOD1 mutations and among the most clinically severe (Rosen, D. R., Bowling, A. C., Patterson, D., Usdin, T. B., Sapp, P., Mezey, E., McKenna-Yasek, D., O'Regan, J. P., Rahmani, Z., Ferrante, R. J., Brownstein, M. J., Kowall, N. W., Beal, M. F., Horvitz, H. R., and Brown, R. H., Jr. (1994) Hum. Mol. Genet. 3, 981-987). We cloned the cDNA for the FALS A4V mutant, overexpressed the protein in Sf9 insect cells, purified the protein, and studied its enzymic activities. Our results show that the mutant and wild-type enzymes contain one copper ion per subunit and have identical dismutation activities. However, the free radical-generating activity of the mutant, as measured by the spin trapping method at low H2O2 concentration, is enhanced relative to that of the wild-type and G93A enzyme (wild-type < G93A < A4V). This is due to the decrease in the Km value for H2O2, wild-type > G93A > A4V, while the kcat is identical for these enzymes. Thus, the FALS symptoms are not associated with the reduction in the dismutation activity of the mutant enzyme. The fact that the A4V mutant has the lowest Km for H2O2 is correlated to the clinical severity observed with the A4V patients, if FALS is associated with a differential gain of the free radical-generating function of the Cu,Zn-SOD mutant.

A gain-of-function of an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase mutant: An enhancement of free radical formation due to a decrease in Km for hydrogen peroxide

Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) is known to be a locus of mutation in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). Transgenic mice that express a mutant Cu,Zn-SOD, Gly-93--> Ala (G93A), have been shown to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) symptoms. We cloned the FALS mutant, G93A, and wild-type cDNA of human Cu,Zn-SOD, overexpressed them in Sf9 insect cells, purified the proteins, and studied their enzymic activities for catalyzing the dismutation of superoxide anions and the generation of free radicals with H2O2 as substrate. Our results showed that both enzymes contain one copper ion per subunit and have identical dismutation activity. However, the free radical-generating function of the G93A mutant, as measured by the spin trapping method, is enhanced relative to that of the wild-type enzyme, particularly at lower H2O2 concentrations. This is due to a small, but reproducible, decrease in the value of Km for H2O2 for the G93A mutant, while the kcat is identical for both enzymes. Thus, the ALS symptoms observed in G93A transgenic mice are not caused by the reduction of Cu,Zn-SOD activity with the mutant enzyme; rather, it is induced by a gain-of-function, an enhancement of the free radical-generating function. This is consistent with the x-ray crystallographic studies showing the active channel of the FALS mutant is slightly larger than that of the wild-type enzyme; thus, it is more accessible to H2O2. This gain-of-function, in part, may provide an explanation for the association between ALS and Cu,Zn-SOD mutants.

Free radicals generated during the glycation reaction of amino acids by methylglyoxal. A model study of protein-cross-linked free radicals

The formation of alpha-dicarbonyl compounds seems to be an important step for cross-linking proteins in the glycation or Maillard reaction. To elucidate the mechanism for the cross-linking reaction, we studied the reaction between a three-carbon alpha-dicarbonyl compound, methylglyoxal, and amino acids. Our results showed that this reaction generated yellow fluorescent products as formed in some glycated proteins. In addition, three types of free radical species were also produced, and their structures were determined by EPR spectroscopy. These free radicals are 1) the cross-linked radical cation, 2) the methylglyoxal radical anion as the counterion, and 3) the superoxide radical anion produced only in the presence of oxygen. The generation of the cross-linked radical cations and the methylglyoxal radical anions does not require metal ions or oxygens. These results indicate that dicarbonyl compounds cross-link free amino groups of protein by forming Schiff bases, which donate electrons directly to dicarbonyl compounds to form the cross-linked radical cations and the methylglyoxal radical anions. Oxygen can accept an electron from the radical anion to generate a superoxide radical anion, which can initiate damaging chain reactions. Time course studies suggest that the cross-linked radical cation is a precursor of yellow fluorescent glycation end products.

Endogenous intracellular glutathionyl radicals are generated in neuroblastoma cells under hydrogen peroxide oxidative stress

We report the detection of endogenous intracellular glutathionyl (GS.) radicals in the intact neuroblastoma cell line NCB-20 under oxidative stress. Spin-trapping and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic methods were used for monitoring the radicals. The cells incubated with the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline 1-oxide (DMPO) were challenged with H2O2 generated by the enzymic reaction of glucose/glucose oxidase. These cells exhibit the EPR spectrum of the GS. radical adduct of DMPO (DMPO-.SG) without exogenous reduced glutathione (GSH). The identity of this radical adduct was confirmed by observing hyperfine coupling constants identical to previously reported values in in vitro studies, which utilized known enzymic reactions, such as horseradish peroxidase and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, with GSH and H2O2 as substrates. The formation of the GS. radicals required viable cells and continuous biosynthesis of GSH. No significant effect on the resonance amplitude by the addition of a membrane-impermeable paramagnetic broadening agent indicated that these radicals were located inside the intact cell. N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC)-treated cells produced NAC-derived free radicals (NAC.) in place of GS. radicals. The time course studies showed that DMPO-.SG formation exhibited a large increase in its concentration after a lag period, whereas DMPO-NAC. formation from NAC-treated cells did not show this sudden increase. These results were discussed in terms of the limit of antioxidant enzyme defenses in cells and the potential role of the GS. radical burst in activation of the transcription nuclear factor NF-kappa B in response to oxidative stress.

Polymer membrane-based ion-, gas- and bio-selective potentiometric sensors

Recent progress in the design of new polymer membrane-based potentiometric ion-, gas- and bio-selective electrodes in chemistry laboratories at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on describing the performance of devices for measuring anions (e.g., salicylate, thiocyanate, chloride and heparin) and gases (e.g., ammonia, carbon dioxide and oxygen) in biological samples, both in vitro and in vivo. Beyond direct measurement of key ions and gases in complex matrices, some of the new membrane electrode systems reported can serve as base transducers for the development of biosensors containing integrated biological reagents, including enzymes and antibodies. New approaches for mass fabricating solid-state ion and biosensor devices as well as future directions for research in the entire field of polymer membrane sensors are also described.

Reversible potentiometric oxygen sensors based on polymeric and metallic film electrodes

Various materials and sensor configurations that exhibit reversible potentiometric responses to the partial pressure of oxygen at room temperature in neutral pH solution are examined. In one arrangement, platinum electrodes are coated with plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) films doped with a cobalt(II) tetraethylene pentamine complex. For such sensors, potentiometric oxygen response is attributed to a mixed potential originating from the underlying platinum electrode surface as well as a change in redox potential of the Co(II)-tetren-doped film as the complex binds oxygen reversibly. The response due to the platinum surface is prolonged by the presence of the Co(II)-tetren/PVC film. Alternately, thin films of metallic copper, electrochemically deposited on platinum and/or sputtered or vapor deposited on a single crystal silicon substrate, may be used for reversible oxygen sensing. The long-term reversibility and potentiometric stability of such copper film-based sensors is enhanced (up to 1 month) by preventing the formation of cuprous oxide on the surfaces via the application of an external nonpolarizing cathodic current through the working electrode or by specifically using sputtered copper films that have [100] preferred crystal structures as determined by X-ray diffraction. The implications of these findings in relation to fabricating analytically useful potentiometric oxygen sensors are discussed.

Ovine estrus synchronization and superovulation using norgestomet B and follicle stimulating hormone-pituitary

Finewooled Rambouillet range ewes were used in a study to determine the feasibility of using a progesterone ear implant to synchronize estrus. In addition, some of the ewes were further treated with injections of follicle stimulating hormone-pituitary (FSH-P) to induce superovulation. Five days following estrus detection and breeding, FSH-P-treated ewes were laparotomized and surgically flushed to recover embryos. The number of corpora lutea (CL), the total number of embryos and the number of transferable embryos recovered were recorded along with the number and size of follicles present on both ovaries. Ewes synchronized as recipients were laparotomized for surgical transfer of embryos 5 d following estrus. The number of CL and follicles were recorded. Response to superovulation by FSH-P did not differ (P>0.05) between age groups of ewes when the number of CL present was counted. However, the total number of embryos flushed and good embryos was lower (P<0.05) among the oldest (7 yr) ewes. The number of follicles present showed little variation between age groups. Recipient ewes (No FSH-P) were similar in the number of CL with 6-yr-old ewes, having fewer (P>0.05) CL, than 3-, 4- or 7-yr-old ewes. Only slight variation was boserved in the number of follicles in recipient ewes. Among donor ewes receiving FSH-P in addition to Synchro-Mate B, 71% were detected in estrus within 48 h of implant removal vs 55% of the recipients.