A B S T R A C T "Ectopic" proteins, not distinguished immunologically from the common alpha subunit of the human glycoprotein hormones, were purified approximately 10,000-fold from a gastric carcinoid tumor (A.L.-a) and from tissue culture medium of bronchogenic carcinoma cell lines (ChaGo-a). The purified A.L.-a was homogeneous by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis while the purified ChaGo-a showed multiple components, some of which represented aggregated species. In SDS gel electrophoresis. the apparent molecular wreights of A.L.-a (15,000) and dithioerythritol-reduced ChaGo-a (13,000) were significantly lower than those of the alpha subunits of human chorionic goniadotropin (hCG-a), luteinizing hormone, follicle-stinmtulatinig hormone, or thyroid-stimulating hormone (22,000-23,000). Binding experiments with ['S]-SDS suggested that these apparent differences in molecular wveight resulted, at least in part, from diminished binding of the SDS by the normal compared to the ectopic alpha subunits. In gel chromatography. the apparent molecular weights of A.L.-a (27,000) and ChaGo-a (30.000) were slightly higher than those of normal alpha subunits (23,000-24,000). Both A.L.-a and CliaGo-a were not distinguished from hCG-a in ionexchacnge chromatography. The composition of A.L.-a wvas similar to that of hCG-a in 13 amino acids but showed decreased phenylalanine and increased valine; glu1cosamine was identified in both A.L.-a and h1CG-a.Under conditions in which hCG-a combined with the hCG beta subunit (hCG-P) to produce 95%te of the expected gonadotropin-biniding-activity in a rat testis radioreceptor-assay, A.L.-a incuibation wvith hCG-P resullted in only 2c% of the expected activity, and ChaGo-a incubation with hCG-9 produced nlo detectable activity.

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We compared rates of secretion in vitro of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and its subunits alpha and beta by established clonal cell lines of a bronchogenic carcinoma (ChaGo) and a choriocarcinoma (JEG). Clones showing the highest secretion rates of either HCG or its subunits were studied: ChaGo-K1, a new clonal strain, and ChaGo-C5 and JEG-3, two previously reported clonal lines. Cells were grown under identical conditions in the same laboratory. Hormone and subunit concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassays. ChaGo-K1 and ChaGo-C5 secreted only alpha-subunit whereas JEG-3 secreted only HCG. Average peak secretion rates in picomoles/day/mg protein were: for ChaGo-K1, HCG less than 0.3, alpha=290, and beta less than 0.5; for ChaGo-C5, HCG less than 0.3, alpha=21, and beta less than 0.5; and for JEG-3, HCG=18, alpha less than 0.7, and beta less than 0.5. The ChaGo-K1 secretion rate of alpha was greater than that of any of out previously reported ChaGo clones. Significant quantities of estradiol and progesterone accumulated in the media of all three cell lines; however, only JEG-3 secreted detectable quantities of placental lactogen. Thus under identical culture conditions, a bronchogenic carcinoma clonal line secreted only alpha-subunit, whereas a choriocarcinoma line secreted only HCG; these findings implied major differences in cellular control mechanisms. Moreover, the ectopic secretions of alpha exceeded the eutopic trophoblastic secretion of HCG, which suggested that in certain cases ectopic protein production may be even more efficient than nonectopic production.

The patients seen at the medical clinic of a community hospital over 6 years included 291 with diseases of the pancreas, 52 of whom had carcinoma of the pancreas. Their signs and symptoms are listed. The triad of weight loss, icterus, and abdominal pain was the commonest symptom cluster. In one third of the cases the serum lipase was raised though the blood level of amylase was normal. Laparoscopy led to exploratory laparotomy in 94 percent of cases, which was performed an average of 14 days later. The future will show whether ERCP (+cytology) and CEA will improve the possibility of early diagnosis.

The Siemens DCA Systems microalbumin/creatinine assay is a quantitative test that measures low concentrations of albumin and creatinine in urine and generates an albumin-to-creatinine ratio. This test is important for early detection of kidney disease in diabetic patients. The reported range of albumin for this assay is 5 to 300 mg/L. To more accurately identify samples with albumin levels of greater than 300 mg/L on the DCA point-of-care systems, several antibody sources were screened and qualified using the Siemens ADVIA 1200 (545 nm) and the Roche COBAS MIRA (500 nm) systems. A research study was conducted on 3 full cartridge lots, and the results are described. Precision testing showed within-run coefficient of variation (%) was 5.8%, 4.7%, and 3.5%, and total coefficient of variation (%) was 6.6%, 5.2%, and 4.3% for the 3 controls tested.Using the ADVIA 1200 as the comparative method, a correlation study was performed on 40 natural human urine samples, ranging from 11 to 275 mg/L of albumin. The combined regression analysis for the 3 lots had a slope of 1.02, an R 2 of 0.98, and an intercept of 1.1 mg/L. Forty natural human urine samples ranging from 2063 to 5987 mg/L of albumin were used to demonstrate high-dose-hook mitigation with the 3 lots. Every result reported was greater than 300 mg/L. Conclusions:The data show that all lots demonstrated excellent precision and correlation with another commercial method. Samples of up to nearly 6000 mg/L of albumin were tested successfully with all 3 lots, and 100% of results were reported as greater than 300 mg/L.