CCN3 modulates bone turnover and is a novel regulator of skeletal metastasis

The CCN family of proteins is composed of six secreted proteins (CCN1-6), which are grouped together based on their structural similarity. These matricellular proteins are involved in a large spectrum of biological processes, ranging from development to disease. In this review, we focus on CCN3, a founding member of this family, and its role in regulating cells within the bone microenvironment. CCN3 impairs normal osteoblast differentiation through multiple mechanisms, which include the neutralization of pro-osteoblastogenic stimuli such as BMP and Wnt family signals or the activation of pathways that suppress osteoblastogenesis, such as Notch. In contrast, CCN3 is known to promote chondrocyte differentiation. Given these functions, it is not surprising that CCN3 has been implicated in the progression of primary bone cancers such as osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma and chondrosarcoma. More recently, emerging evidence suggests that CCN3 may also influence the ability of metastatic cancers to colonize and grow in bone

A Rare Association of Monosomy 18P Syndrome and Polyglandular Autoimmune Syndrome Type IIIA

We report a monosomy 18p syndrome in a male patient with polyglandular autoimmune syndrome (PAS) type IIIA. A 34-year-old mentally retarded diabetic male patient with short stature, wide earlaps, old-looking face, straight nasal bone, atrophic mouth, drooping cheeks, full teeth loss, and soft, weak and sparse white hair was admitted to the outpatient endocrinology clinic. Chromosome analysis of the patient revealed 46,XY,del(18)(p11.2). He was also diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis, primary hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus type 1. We concluded that monosomy 18p syndrome may be associated with autoimmune diseases and if this is suspected, patients should be examined for an endocrine deficiency

biochemical analytes in Turkey using Abbott analyzers

Background: A nationwide multicenter study was organized to establish reference intervals (RIs) in the Turkish population for 25 commonly tested biochemical analytes and to explore sources of variation in reference values, including regionality.Methods: Blood samples were collected nationwide in 28 laboratories from the seven regions (>= 400 samples/region, 3066 in all). The sera were collectively analyzed in Uludag University in Bursa using Abbott reagents and analyzer. Reference materials were used for standardization of test results. After secondary exclusion using the latent abnormal values exclusion method, RIs were derived by a parametric method employing the modified Box-Cox formula and compared with the RIs by the non-parametric method. Three-level nested ANOVA was used to evaluate variations among sexes, ages and regions. Associations between test results and age, body mass index (BMI) and region were determined by multiple regression analysis (MRA).Results: By ANOVA, differences of reference values among seven regions were significant in none of the 25 analytes. Significant sex-related and age-related differences were observed for 10 and seven analytes, respectively. MRA revealed BMI-related changes in results for uric acid, glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, and.-glutamyltransferase. Their RIs were thus derived by applying stricter criteria excluding individuals with BMI >28 kg/m(2). Ranges of RIs by non-parametric method were wider than those by parametric method especially for those analytes affected by BMI.Conclusions: With the lack of regional differences and the well-standardized status of test results, the RIs derived from this nationwide study can be used for the entire Turkish population