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PubMed1995

Thyroid function testing evaluated on three immunoassay systems.

Total thyroxine (TT4), tracer uptake, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and free T4 (FT4) testing was examined in the ACS 180, Abbott IMx, and Stratus II systems. TSH sensitivity studies demonstrated that the ACS and IMx are second-generation assays; the Stratus showed between first- and second-generation performance. Except for one control below the detection limit, TSH imprecision was 3-10%. TSH accuracy was adequate for all systems. TT4 imprecision was 4-7%, except for the lowest control with the Stratus (18%). TT4 method agreement showed bias of about 20% between the systems. TT4 accuracy was compromised at the low end for the Stratus II, but was satisfactory otherwise. FT4 imprecision was 20% for the Stratus, < 5% for the IMx and 6% for the ACS. Uptake assays showed imprecision of 5-10%. The laboratory diagnosis indicated by each system's FT4 and calculated FT4 Index results were compared to determine diagnostic accuracy. In routine specimens, different clinical classifications were observed for 25% of specimens with the ACS, 19% with the Stratus, and 7% with the IMx; in the altered protein group, the Stratus showed 9% discordant results, the ACS showed 3%, and the IMx 0%. Of the three systems examined here, the Abbott IMx system showed the best overall performance.

Humans↗

PubMed1992

Interleukin 1 regulates secretion of zinc-thymulin by human thymic epithelial cells and its action on T-lymphocyte proliferation and nuclear protein kinase C.

Thymic epithelial cells (TEC) are known to secrete thymic hormones that influence maturation of T lymphocytes. One of these peptides, thymulin, requires zinc in an equimolar ratio for biological activity. A previous study [Cousins, R. J. & Leinart, A. S. (1988) FASEB J. 2, 2884-2890] showed that interleukin 1 (IL-1) in vivo stimulates zinc uptake by the thymus. Both the alpha and beta forms of IL-1, which stimulate proliferation of human TEC, also stimulate their uptake of zinc in vitro, and this latter stimulation is both dependent and independent of proliferation. Zinc induces zinc accumulation without proliferation. Two other stimulants of proliferation, bovine pituitary extract and epidermal growth factor, stimulate zinc uptake by TEC, but only in a manner dependent on proliferation. Utilizing in situ hybridization, we show that the IL-1 alpha and beta forms and zinc induce metallothionein mRNA expression TEC. Metallothionein is thought to be involved in the transfer of zinc to thymulin. IL-1 was shown to stimulate the secretion of thymulin as measured both by its ability to stimulate induction of IL-2 receptor-positive lymphocytes from human peripheral blood lymphocytes and by the azathioprine-sensitive rosette assay. In addition, the zinc-thymulin complex in the presence, but not absence, of IL-1 stimulates nuclear protein kinase C in isolated lymphocyte nuclei. IL-1 apparently regulates the synthesis or secretion and delivery of zinc-thymulin complex to the T-lymphocyte system.

Cell Nucleus↗