The receptor binding fragment of alpha-fetoprotein is a promising new vector for the selective delivery of antineoplastic agents.

The alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) binding protein, a putative AFP receptor, is a tumour marker that is present on the surfaces of malignant cells. AFP enters cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis. The recombinant C-terminal fragment of AFP (AFP-3BC, which consists of amino acid residues 473-596) was obtained by the expression in Escherichia coli.

Oligomeric adiponectin forms and their complexes in the blood of healthy donors and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Adiponectin (Adn) is a protein that circulates in the blood in several oligomeric forms, namely low-, medium-, and high-molecular-weight forms. Adn may serve as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aims of this work were (1) to produce monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to different Adn oligomeric forms, (2) to design immunoassays suitable for measuring the Adn forms present in human blood, and (3) to investigate the changes in Adn forms that occur in patients with T2DM.

Human pro-B-type natriuretic peptide is processed in the circulation in a rat model.

Background: The appearance of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in the blood is ultimately caused by proteolytic processing of its precursor, proBNP. The mechanisms leading to the high plasma concentration of unprocessed proBNP are still poorly understood. The goals of the present study were to examine whether processing of proBNP takes place in the circulation and to evaluate the clearance rate of proBNP and proBNP-derived peptides.