Effect of vitamin C on the absorption of levothyroxine in patients with hypothyroidism and gastritis.

Background: Malabsorption of l-T4 is a major clinical problem. Changes in gastric pH caused by several medical illnesses are associated with difficulties in the control of patients with hypothyroidism receiving the hormone. Means to correct these alterations would be of clinical value.

A novel point mutation in the amino terminal domain of the human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) gene enhancing hGR-mediated gene expression.

Context: Interindividual variations in glucocorticoid sensitivity have been associated with manifestations of cortisol excess or deficiency and may be partly explained by polymorphisms in the human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) gene. We studied a 43-yr-old female, who presented with manifestations consistent with tissue-selective glucocorticoid hypersensitivity. We detected a novel, single, heterozygous nucleotide (G --> C) substitution at position 1201 (exon 2) of the hGR gene, which resulted in aspartic acid to histidine substitution at amino acid position 401 in the amino-terminal domain of the hGRalpha.

A novel point mutation in helix 11 of the ligand-binding domain of the human glucocorticoid receptor gene causing generalized glucocorticoid resistance.

Background: Generalized glucocorticoid resistance is a rare condition characterized by partial, end-organ insensitivity to glucocorticoids, compensatory elevations in adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol secretion, and increased production of adrenal steroids with androgenic and/or mineralocorticoid activity. We have identified a new case of glucocorticoid resistance caused by a novel mutation of the human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) gene and studied the molecular mechanisms through which the mutant receptor impairs glucocorticoid signal transduction.

Methods And Results: We identified a novel, single, heterozygous nucleotide (T --> C) substitution at position 2209 (exon 9alpha) of the hGR gene, which resulted in phenylalanine (F) to leucine (L) substitution at amino acid position 737 within helix 11 of the ligand-binding domain of the protein.

Dietary fish oil and olive oil supplementation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical and immunologic effects.

Forty-nine patients with active rheumatoid arthritis completed a 24-week, prospective, double-blind, randomized study of dietary supplementation with 2 different dosages of fish oil and 1 dosage of olive oil. Clinical evaluations were performed at baseline and every 6 weeks thereafter, and immunologic variables were measured at baseline and after 24 weeks of study. The 3 groups of patients were matched for age, sex, disease severity, and use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3-induced growth restriction of cultured epithelial cells derived from a murine hepatic tumor.

Recent evidence suggests that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 can accumulate in certain presumed non-target tissues, although the mechanism of action of the vitamin in such cells is not understood. Exposure of 77-1/3a mouse hepatic tumor cells, which derived from a non-target tissue of vitamin D action, to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in chemically-defined serum-free medium resulted in a dose-dependent decline in cellular growth rate and maximal culture population density but did not adversely affect cell viability. Culture of 77-1/3a cells in defined medium containing 10(-7) or 10(-6) M 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 for 150 hr reduced the growth rate to 64 and 50% of control values respectively.