Historical overview of analytical methods for the measurement of transthyretin.
The history of prealbumin dates back to the early forties and may be divided into three parts, based on a chronological and functional approach. The first part--the discovery and the identification of prealbumin--was essentially based on classical protein chemistry methods. The second--the demonstration of prealbumin as a thyroid hormone-binding protein (thyroxine-binding prealbumin)--has greatly benefited from isotopic techniques. The third one--establishing prealbumin as a nutritional marker--was a result of field studies on nutrition. The discovery of the role of prealbumin in retinol binding led to a change in its name, prealbumin becoming transthyretin. Finally, structural studies and mutation analysis of transthyretin in patients with amyloid neuropathy have opened a new area of research.
De Nayer
Philippe
P
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Cliniques Universitaires St. Luc, University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. Philippe.DeNayer@lbcm.ucl.ac.be
D017772:Amyloid Neuropathies / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D013975:Thyroxine-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D011228:Prealbumin; D013975:Thyroxine-Binding Proteins