title: Digoxin-like immunoreactivity: is it still worth measuring?
abstract: On the assumption that digoxin-like immunoreactivity may represent digitalis-like sodium pump inhibitors in the mammalian body, many investigators have used radioimmunoassay for digoxin to monitor such factors during the past decade. The presence of digoxin-like immunoreactivity has been confirmed by numerous studies using biochemical, immunological or morphological methods. Very recently, ouabain or a very similar substance, which did not cross-react with antidigoxin antibodies, was identified from the human plasma as the long-sought sodium pump inhibitor. However, it is yet to be determined whether sodium pump inhibitory activity in the circulation results from one substance or several. Some researchers still insist on the possible physiological roles of digoxin-like immunoreactivity which may or may not be related to the regulation of sodium pump. These issues are critically reviewed in this article.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D002298:Cardenolides; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004077:Digoxin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D010042:Ouabain / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012503:Saponins; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D002298:Cardenolides; D012503:Saponins; C034504:digoxin-like factors; D010042:Ouabain; D004077:Digoxin; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase