Fine epitope mapping of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to 16 epitopes on human angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) revealed that the epitopes of all mAbs contained putative glycosylation sites. ACE glycosylation is both cell- and tissue-specific and, therefore, the local conformation of ACE produced by different cells could be also unique. The pattern of ACE binding by a set of mAbs to 16 epitopes of human ACE - "conformational fingerprint of ACE" - is the most sensitive marker of ACE conformation and could be cell- and tissue-specific. The recognition of ACEs by mAbs to ACE was estimated using an immune-capture enzymatic plate precipitation assay. Precipitation patterns of soluble recombinant ACE released from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-ACE cells was influenced by conditions that alter ACE glycosylation. This pattern was also strongly cell type specific. Patients with sarcoidosis exhibited conformational fingerprints of tissue ACE (lungs and lymph nodes), as well as blood ACE, which were distinct from controls. Conformational fingerprinting of ACE may detect ACE originated from the cells other than endothelial cells in the blood and when combined with elevated blood ACE levels in patients with sarcoidosis may potentially reflect extrapulmonary sarcoidosis involvement (bone marrow, spleen, liver). If proven true, this would serve as a biomarker of enormous potential clinical significance.

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A clinical observation of the combined endometriotic lesion of the small intestine and the appendix is given below. Extragenital endometriosis is a rare pathology in which endometrioid heterotopies develop outside the reproductive system organs. At about 1825% of women suffering from the pelvic organs endometriosis, the intestines are involved in the pathological process. In this regard, it is believed that in most cases its lesion is secondary while the primary lesion of the intestine with endometriosis is rarely observed and occurs as a result of hematogenous introduction of endometrial elements into the intestinal wall. Of all parts of the intestine, endometriosis most often affects the rectum and sigmoid colon (7080%), then the jejunum, less often the cecum. The most rare gastrointestinal tract endometriosis localization is the appendix, the frequency of its lesion is 0.8%. It was carried out in a clinicopathologic analysis of 14 endometriosis cases in various parts of the intestine (4 cases of the small intestine lesions, 2 rectosigmoid part of the large intestine, 2 rectum, 2 sigmoid colon, 3 appendix, 1 combined lesion of the small intestine and the appendix). In most cases, the clinical diagnosis of extragenital endometriosis is difficult, and as a rule women come with complaints typical of acute surgical pathology: intestinal obstruction, appendicitis. An important role in differential diagnosis is given to the ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs and abdominal cavity, magnetic resonance imaging, endoscopic research methods, as well as the connection of clinical symptoms with the menstrual cycle.