title: Serum thymidine kinase in vitamin B12 deficiency.
abstract: In DNA synthesis deoxythymidine kinase (TK) catalyses the conversion of deoxythymidine to deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP) via the 'salvage pathway'. Serum deoxythymidine kinase (S-TK) was measured in this study in 75 patients with vitamin B12 deficiency by a new, very sensitive method, using 125I-deoxyuridine as substrate. Elevated S-TK levels were found in those patients who had developed haemolysis and anaemia and the more advanced the disease the higher the S-TK value. Thus there was a highly significant correlation between S-TK, haemoglobin level and lactic dehydrogenase activity. These findings are consistent with the theory that elevated levels of S-TK are due to release from unstable proliferating tissue.
mesh_terms: D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology; D000749:Anemia, Megaloblastic / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000097:blood*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D014805:Vitamin B 12