Preoperative Serum Thymidine Kinase Activity as Novel Monitoring, Prognostic, and Predictive Biomarker in Pancreatic Cancer.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate serum thymidine kinase 1 (S-TK) activity as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Methods: Using the sensitive TK activity assay DiviTum, preoperative serum samples from 404 PDAC, 28 chronic pancreatitis, and 25 autoimmune pancreatitis patients and 83 healthy volunteers were analyzed. The preoperative S-TK activities of 54 PDAC patients who received neoadjuvant therapy (nTx) were also compared with those of 258 PDAC patients who did not receive nTx.

Serum thymidine kinase 1 activity in the prognosis and monitoring of chemotherapy in lung cancer patients: a brief report.

Introduction: Thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) is a metabolic enzyme involved in DNA synthesis. Most standard treatment protocols for lung cancer (LC) include cytotoxic agents, which are potential modulators of TK1. We aimed to assess the prognostic significance of serum TK1 activity and its role in monitoring chemotherapy in LC patients.

Analysis of thymidine kinase serum levels by novel method DiviTum in multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance - comparison with imaging methods 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy and 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Aims: The study aimed at comparing two methods for evaluating thymidinekinase TK in serum - an older RIA method and novel DiviTum - in patients with MM and MGUS, and also comparing them with biochemical markers and degree of activity evaluated by imaging methods 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy and 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Methods: Serum thymidinekinase TK levels were evaluated by DiviTum and an RIA method (TK REA kit by Immunotech);The study analyzed correlation of TK activity in serum with biochemical markers reflecting activity of MM: β2-m, LDH, the ratio of kappa to lambda (κ/λ) free light chains and percentage of bone marrow plasma cells (BMPC). 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy and 18F-FDG PET/CT were performed at the time of diagnosis.

Increased proliferative background in healthy women with BRCA1/2 haploinsufficiency is associated with high risk for breast cancer.

Previous studies indicated that BRCA haploinsufficiency was associated with activation of the EGF receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway and increased proliferative activity in mammary epithelial cells of healthy women. We hypothesized that these processes might be reflected in the expression of serologic soluble EGFR (sEGFR) and thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) activity, which signal the initial and final steps of the proliferative pathway, respectively. We found that healthy carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations (n = 80) showed a significantly higher TK1 activity than age-matched controls (P = 0.

Screening of herpes simplex virus type 1 isolates for acyclovir resistance using DiviTum® assay.

Rapid alternative methods are required to evaluate easily acyclovir (ACV) sensitivity of clinical herpes simplex virus (HSV) isolates. The objective of this study was to screen 54 ACV-sensitive and 41 ACV-resistant clinical HSV-1 isolates, well characterized by phenotypic and genotypic methods, for the phosphorylation activity of the viral thymidine kinase (TK) using a commercially available and modified non-radioactive DiviTum® test on the basis of an indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The ACV-sensitive HSV-1 isolates had high TK activity values between 31.

Comparison of diagnostic and prognostic performance of two assays measuring thymidine kinase 1 activity in serum of breast cancer patients.

Background: We compared two recently developed immunoassays for serum thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) activity: one manual assay (DiviTum, Biovica(®)) and one fully automated assay (Liaison, Diasorin(®)).

Methods: The study included 368 women: 149 healthy blood donors (control), 59 patients with benign breast disease (BBD) and 160 patients with primary breast cancer (BC).

Results: A regression analysis of the Liaison (y) and DiviTum (x) assays for all three groups yielded the equation y=3.

Significance of amino acid substitutions in the thymidine kinase gene of herpes simplex virus type 1 for resistance.

The analysis of the viral thymidine kinase (TK) genotype is of rising significance for testing resistance of herpes simplex virus (HSV) to antivirals especially acyclovir. However, numerous of the described amino acid (aa) substitutions are diagnostically less conclusive because of the pronounced natural polymorphism of this gene. In this study, several aa substitutions in the TK sequence of HSV-1 with unclear significance for resistance were analyzed by expression of recombinant TK proteins and determination of enzymatic activity on the basis of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) as TK substrate.

Serum thymidine kinase 1 activity in breast cancer.

Aims: Thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) is an enzyme involved in DNA synthesis and an important proliferation marker. We explored the association of preoperative serum TK1 activity with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS) in breast cancer (BC) patients.

Patients And Methods: TK1 activity in serum of 120 healthy women and 161 BC patients was measured by quantitative ELISA.

Circulating tumor M2 pyruvate kinase and thymidine kinase 1 are potential predictors for disease recurrence in renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy.

Objectives: Pyruvate kinase type M2 (TuM2-PK) and thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) are the key enzymes involved in tumor cells metabolism and proliferation. We explored the association of their preoperative circulating levels with disease recurrence in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Methods: We measured the plasma levels of TuM2-PK levels and serum TK1 activity preoperatively in patients with RCC, using a quantitative ELISA, and correlated the results with clinicopathological parameters.

Alternative approach to blood screening using the ExaVir reverse transcriptase activity assay.

408 non-selected samples were obtained from healthy, adult individuals donating blood at the Ethiopian Red Cross Society-National Blood Transfusion Service. All samples were screened for HIV using the Vironostika Ag/Ab test, the Amplicor DNA PCR and examined for the presence of HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) using the ExaVir Load test (version 2). A panel of supplementary tests was used to evaluate the HIV status of the discordant samples and to confirm positivity.

On the syntheses of triacylglycerols from branched saturated fatty acids.

A number of triacylglycerols with branched acyl groups were prepared via 1,2-isopropylidene glycerol for the purpose of studying three different physical properties: gel point, refractive index, and density. The monoacid triacylglycerols were prepared either via the corresponding acids or the acyl chlorides.

The relationship between the structure of monoalkyl branched saturated triacylglycerols and some physical properties.

Three different physical properties, the gel point ("solidification point"), the refractive index and the density, were determined and related to the structure of the branched triacylglycerols. A four-factor central composite face-centered design was constructed where the four variables were the length of the main chain, the branching position, the length of the side chain, and the number of branched fatty acyl groups attached to the glycerol backbone. Second-order models were calculated in which the three physical properties were related to the structure.

Deoxythymidine kinase in the staging of prostatic adenocarcinoma.

The role of prostate-specific antigen in the management of prostatic adenocarcinoma is still not fully ascertained. Its place in the monitoring of patients who have undergone radical treatment is without question but its role in the primary assessment of a lesion is a point of continuous discussion. This study reports the analysis of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in 92 patients with different stages of prostatic adenocarcinoma prior to treatment; in the case of the localized lesions, this was based to a great extent on the findings at lymphadenectomy.

Synthesis and antiviral effects of 2-heteroaryl substituted adenosine and 8-heteroaryl substituted guanosine derivatives.

2-(2"- and 3"-Thienyl)adenosine and the corresponding furyl derivatives were prepared though Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling of 2',3',5'-tri-O-(t-butyldimethylsilyl)-2-iodoadenosine with the appropriate tributyltin derivatives followed by deprotection. Preparation of the 8-(2"- and 3"-thienyl)guanosines and 8-(2"- and 3"-furyl)guanosines followed a similar route. Antiviral properties of these compounds and the related 2,6-diaminopurine ribofuranosides were of no pharmacological interest.

Serum levels of interleukin-2 receptor (CD 25) in patients with Hodgkin's disease, with special reference to age and prognosis.

Background: The serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (S-sIL-2R) have been shown to be related to clinical outcome in Hodgkin's disease (HD). sIL-2R may be involved in or aggravate the immunodeficiency seen in HD patients. This immunodeficiency is most pronounced in elderly patients.

No evidence for spumavirus or oncovirus infection in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to investigate the possible role of human spumaretrovirus and oncoretroviruses (human T-cell lymphotropic virus types I [HTLV-I] and II [HTLV-II]) in multiple sclerosis. Eleven patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in exacerbation and 11 normal blood donors were included in the study. Cerebrospinal fluid cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and plasma were cocultured with allogeneic mononuclear cells for 6 weeks.

Pyridine-substituted hydroxythiophenes. I. Preparation of o-(2-, 3- and 4-pyridyl)-3-hydroxythiophenes.

2-(2-, 3- and 4-pyridyl)-3-hydroxythiophenes and 4-(2-, 3- and 4-pyridyl)- 3-hydroxythiophenes have been prepared by hydrogen peroxide oxidation of the corresponding boronic esters. In the former case the boronic esters were obtained in three steps from 2,3-dibromothiophene via the corresponding 3-bromo-2-pyridylthiophenes synthesized by Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling between 3-bromo-2-trimethylstannylthiophene and the corresponding bromopyridines. In the latter case the known isomeric pyridylthiophenes were converted into the corresponding boronic esters in three steps via tribromo- and 3-bromo-4-pyridylthiophenes successively.

Triester glycerothiophosphates of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3).

Tris(N,N-dimethyl)amide of phosphorous acid activated by addition of iodine at an optimal molar ratio of 1.05:0.05 was used as a phosphorylating reagent to synthesize cholecalciferyl-3-O-(1-2-isopropylidene-rac-glycero-3-O-)-thiophos phate and cholecalciferyl-3-O-(1,2-dipalmitoyl-rac-glycero-3-O-)thiophosphat e of methyl alcohol, 2-dimethylaminoethanol, 3-dimethylamino-1-propanol and 1,2-isopropylidene-rac-glycerol in a "one-pot procedure" in overall yields of 60-80%.

Thymidine kinase in extracts of human brain tumours.

Deoxythymidine kinase (TK) is an enzyme involved in DNA synthesis. It can be used as a marker of cell proliferation. TK was measured in extracts of human brain tumours and non-neoplastic brain tissue.

Serum thymidine kinase as a prognostic marker in Hodgkin's disease.

In 72 of 81 consecutively diagnosed patients with Hodgkin's disease pretreatment sera were available for analysis of serum thymidine kinase (S-TK) levels. In relation to clinical parameters, such as stage, histopathology and general symptoms, significant correlations were found with higher (S-TK) levels in advanced disease as well as in patients with B-symptoms. When the prognostic ability was examined, patients in stages IA and IIA could be divided according to S-TK levels into two different groups in relation to disease-free survival.

Biochemical markers in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma stages III and IV and prognosis: a multivariate analysis.

The prognostic value of different pretreatment laboratory and clinical findings at diagnosis was assessed in a series of 141 patients with generalized non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Univariate and multivariate survival analysis (Cox's regression model) was performed, using serum analysis of deoxythymidine kinase (S-TK), beta 2-microglobulin, lactic dehydrogenase, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein = orosomucoid (S-alpha 1 AGP), haptoglobin and ferritin. In addition, Hb and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured.

Serum thymidine kinase in vitamin B12 deficiency.

In DNA synthesis deoxythymidine kinase (TK) catalyses the conversion of deoxythymidine to deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP) via the 'salvage pathway'. Serum deoxythymidine kinase (S-TK) was measured in this study in 75 patients with vitamin B12 deficiency by a new, very sensitive method, using 125I-deoxyuridine as substrate. Elevated S-TK levels were found in those patients who had developed haemolysis and anaemia and the more advanced the disease the higher the S-TK value.