title: Diagnostic relevance of the amino-terminal cleavage peptide of procalcitonin (PAS-57), calcitonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide in medullary thyroid carcinoma patients.
abstract: We have identified the amino-terminal cleavage peptide of procalcitonin (PAS-57) in the plasma of normal human subjects and of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) patients together with calcitonin (CT) and CT gene-related peptide (CGRP). Major components on reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography had the retention times of synthetic PAS-57, CT and CGRP as well as of precursor proteins. Plasma levels of PAS-57 (290 +/- 50 pgeq/ml; mean +/- S.E.M.), CT (27 +/- 8 pgeq/ml) and CGRP (8.4 +/- 0.8 pgeq/ml) were respectively 2.3-, 1.6- and 1.5-fold higher in normal men (n = 10) than in women (n = 8). In response to 1 min intravenous calcium infusions (2 mg per kilogram body weight) PAS-57 and CT were increased 3.5- and 2.7-fold (P less than 0.001), respectively, but CGRP remained unchanged. In MTC patients (n = 57) with raised levels of PAS-57 and CT, the molar ratio between PAS-57 and CT was 1.7-times higher than in normal subjects (P less than 0.01). We have found that PAS-57 is a predominant CT/CGRP gene derived product in the circulation of normal subjects and of MTC patients and a potential new MTC tumor marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Born
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beglinger
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000097:blood*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide