Successful Pretreatment Using Plasma Exchange before Thyroidectomy in a Patient with Amiodarone-Induced Thyrotoxicosis.

Introduction: Amiodarone, used for the management of tachyarrhythmias, is associated with both hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis. Total thyroidectomy is an effective procedure for promptly reducing circulating thyroid hormone levels. It has been proposed in patients who have severe amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) or are refractory to medical therapy, or when such therapy is contraindicated.

Spectroscopic study of fluorescent peptides for prenyl transferase assays.

A study of the prenyl transferase reactions was performed by fluorescence using rat brain cytosol fractions as an enzyme source. Four dansylated peptides corresponding to the C-terminal sequence of Ras isoforms were synthesised. The effects of different detergents on the farnesylation or geranylgeranylation of the four peptides were evaluated.

Design, synthesis, and pharmacological evaluation of new farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors.

New CA(1)A(2)X peptidomimetics are described as Ras farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTIs). They include cysteine and methionine as mimetics of the C-terminus sequence of farnesylated proteins. Furthermore, cysteine was replaced by heterocycles, taking into account the role of zinc and the metabolic instability of amino acids.