Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common endocrine malignancy. We performed shotgun liquid chromatography (LC)/tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis on pooled protein extracts from patients with PTC and compared the results with those from normal thyroid tissue validated by real-time (RT) PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). We detected 524 types of protein in PTC and 432 in normal thyroid gland. Among these proteins, 145 were specific to PTC and 53 were specific to normal thyroid gland. We have also identified two important new markers, nephronectin (NPNT) and malectin (MLEC). Reproducibility was confirmed with several known markers, but the one of two new candidate markers such as MLEC did not show large variations in expression levels. Furthermore, IHC confirmed the overexpression of both those markers in PTCs compared with normal surrounding tissues. Our protein data suggest that NPNT and MLEC could be a characteristic marker for PTC.

20,w, of ca. 13 S. Similar lipoproteins were isolated, but in smaller amounts, from untreated buttermilk, a source of membranous material used widely by previous investigators. However, DOC released water-soluble lipoproteins from buttermilk in amounts comparable to those released from intact fat globules. These findings led to the view that the membrane surrounding the milk fat globule consists of two types of lipid-protein complexes, approximately equal in amount, and distinguishable on the basis of their solubility in water.The water-soluble lipoproteins are considered to be adsorbed on a water-insoluble matrix, composed of lipids and proteins, bordering the triglyceride core of the fat globule. layer in turn is surrounded by proteins attached to these hydrophilic groups.Another concept of the structure of the milk fat globule was advanced by Morton (1954), who observed, with the aid of an electron microscope, small particles adhering to both intact and collapsed globules. Morton suggested that "the fat globule in milk is surrounded by a continuous protein membrane onto which microsomal particles may be adsorbed." He termed these particles "milk microsomes."According to Morton's concept of the membrane, it seems possible that the adhering particles could be released without disrupting the remaining portion of the membrane. This paper describes a preparative procedure effective in releasing lipoprotein particles from intact fat globules and reports some chemical and physical properties of the released lipoproteins. The results obtained by this new approach are compared with data obtained from fractions prepared by the churning technique, widely employed in past studies of the membrane of the milk fat globule. Preliminary ConsiderationsThe apparent composition of the membranous material of the milk fat globule varies with the method of preparation. Much of the present knowledge of the membrane has been derived from studies made on buttermilk prepared as follows. The milk is centrifuged first in a cream separator to concentrate the fat globules in the cream. The cream is washed to remove milk plasma constituents that are not an integral part of the S. HAYASHI AND L. M. SMITH

In the pathological diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma, we often confront the difficulty of determining whether it is invasive carcinoma or epithelial dysplasia. Recently, myelin and lymphocyte protein (MAL; T-cell differentiation-related gene) has been reported to be a candidate gene suppressed in esophageal carcinoma. When we performed cDNA microarray analysis, we found that gene expression of MAL was significantly downregulated in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We evaluated the expression of the MAL gene by laser microdissection and real-time PCR methods and protein localization by immunohistochemistry. The gene expression of MAL was significantly decreased in OSCC compared with normal epithelium (P < 0.05). Furthermore, protein expression of MAL disappeared gradually in proportion to malignancy. The results suggest that MAL plays an important role during oral carcinogenesis and that the gene may have potential as a biomarker target for OSCC.

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Newly laid eggs of Schistosoma japonicum were cultured in a serum-free, chemically defined medium, RPMI 1640, which contained 20 amino acids, glutathione, 11 vitamins, and glucose in a balanced salt solution. The requirements for these components in the nutrition of the eggs was investigated by the deletion of single component from the medium. The following 14 amino acids were shown to be essential for the full development of the egg in the medium: L-arginine, L-cystine, glycine, L-histidine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-lysine, L-methionine, L-phenylalanine, L-serine, L-threonine, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine, and L-valine. Choline chloride was the essential vitamin. The omission of nicotinamide from the medium affected maturation adversely. Glucose was also required by the eggs. Minimal concentration of glucose for maturation of the eggs was 0.02 mM, but concentrations ranging from 0.16 to 20.00 mM gave better results while the concentration of the other elements of the medium were kept constant.