Low thyroidal T3 in nodular goitrous tissue

Six nodular tissues of non-treated and four of treated patients (suppressive treatment with thyroid hormones from three months to two years until the operation) with nodular non-toxic goitre contained low T3 (less than 1 ug/g w.w.). The results of iodothyronines and thyroglobulin (Tg) were compared with respective tissues containing T3 greater than 1 ug/g w.w. In non-treated patients, nodular tissues with low T3 and very high T4/T3 ratio showed T4 and Tg concentrations not different from the tissues with T3 greater than 1 ug/g w.w. In the goitres with low T3 of treated patients, T4 was also reduced but disproportionately to T3. Microscopically, nodular goitres with low T3 were characterized with gross fibrous infiltration and diffuse haemorrhage which was substantially different from histological findings in nodular goitres with T3 greater than 1 ug/g w.w. High T4/T3 ratio in the tissues with low T3 is similar to increased T4/T3 ratio in paranodular tissues of autonomously functioning adenomas. The results suggest that low T3 and high T4/T3 ratio in nodular goitrous tissue could be due to grossly impaired thyroid function or due to suppressed secretion of TSH.     

Distribution of murine stage-specific embryonic antigens in the kidneys of three rodent species

The distribution of two mouse stage-specific embryonic antigens (SSEA-1 and SSEA-3), recognized by monoclonal antibodies, was investigated in the kidneys of mice, rats and gerbils. Both antigens, with the exception of SSEA-3, which was not found in the kidney of the gerbil, were detectable in at least some portions of the kidney in all three species. These data suggest that while unique antigenic determinants may be evolutionarily conserved in homologous tissues of different species, their distribution may vary anatomically.     

SSEA-1, a stage-specific embryonic antigen of the mouse, is carried by the glycoprotein-bound large carbohydrate in embryonal carcinoma cells

Molecules carrying SSEA-1 were isolated from [3H]galactose-labeled embryonal carcinoma cells by detergent solubilization followed by indirect immunoprecipitation. The antigenic molecules were degraded by extensive pronase digestion or mild alkaline treatment, and the majority of the products thus formed were so large as to be excluded from a column of Sephadex G-50. Therefore, the major carbohydrate constituent of the antigenic molecule was embryoglycan, the glycoprotein-bound large glycan in early embryonic cells. Furthermore, the binding of isolated embryoglycan with anti-SSEA-1 was directly shown by a modified Farr's assay. From these results we concluded that SSEA-1 determinant was carried by the large glycan.