Macromolecular complex
Updates to Article Attributes
Macromolecular complexes include both macrohormones and macroenzymes, which consist of hormones and enzymes respectively covalently bound to carrier molecules, e.g. immunoglobulins, or occasionally the molecule may self-polymerise. Their primary importance lies in their ability to produce an artifactually-high level of the particular hormone/enzyme in the blood as standard laboratory assays do not distinguish between the unbound and bound forms of the hormone/enzyme, e.g. in hyperamylasaemia the serum amylase appears to be elevated but may actually be normal. This may lead to inappropriate investigations and therapy.
Macrohormones
- macro-thyroid stimulating hormone (macro-TSH)
- macroprolactin
Macroenzymes
Immunoglobulin-bound
- macro-alkaline phosphatase
- macroamylase
- macro-creatine kinase (macro-CK)
- macro-gamma-glutamyl transferase (macro-GGT)
- macro-lactate dehydrogenase (macro-LDH)
- macrolipase
Non-immunoglobulin-bound
- macroamylase: amylase may bind to hydroxyethyl starch 2
- macro-mitochondrial creatine kinase: mitochondrial CK self-polymerises 2
- macrotrypsin: proteases may bind to alpha-2-macroglobulin 2
-<p>Macroenzymes</p>- +<p><strong>Macromolecular complexes </strong>include both <strong>macrohormones</strong> and <strong>macroenzymes</strong>, which consist of hormones and enzymes respectively covalently bound to carrier molecules, e.g. <a title="Immunoglobulins" href="/articles/immunoglobulins">immunoglobulins</a>, or occasionally the molecule may self-polymerise. Their primary importance lies in their ability to produce an artifactually-high level of the particular hormone/enzyme in the blood as standard laboratory assays do not distinguish between the unbound and bound forms of the hormone/enzyme, e.g. in <a href="/articles/amylase-1">hyperamylasaemia</a> the <a href="/articles/amylase-1">serum amylase</a> appears to be elevated but may actually be normal. This may lead to inappropriate investigations and therapy.</p><h5>Macrohormones</h5><ul>
- +<li>macro-thyroid stimulating hormone (macro-TSH)</li>
- +<li>macroprolactin</li>
- +</ul><h5>Macroenzymes</h5><h6>Immunoglobulin-bound</h6><ul>
- +<li>macro-alkaline phosphatase</li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/macroamylasaemia">macroamylase</a></li>
- +<li>macro-creatine kinase (macro-CK)</li>
- +<li>macro-gamma-glutamyl transferase (macro-GGT)</li>
- +<li>macro-lactate dehydrogenase (macro-LDH)</li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/macrolipasaemia"><font color="#0066cc">macrolipase</font></a></li>
- +</ul><h6>Non-immunoglobulin-bound</h6><ul>
- +<li>macroamylase: amylase may bind to hydroxyethyl starch<sup> 2</sup>
- +</li>
- +<li>macro-mitochondrial creatine kinase: mitochondrial CK self-polymerises <sup>2</sup>
- +</li>
- +<li>macrotrypsin: proteases may bind to alpha-2-macroglobulin <sup>2</sup>
- +</li>
- +</ul>
References changed:
- 1. Mendoza H, Connacher A, Srivastava R. Unexplained high thyroid stimulating hormone: a "BIG" problem. (2009) BMJ case reports. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr.01.2009.1474">doi:10.1136/bcr.01.2009.1474</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21687011">Pubmed</a> <span class="ref_v4"></span>
- 2. Remaley AT, Wilding P. Macroenzymes: biochemical characterization, clinical significance, and laboratory detection. (1989) Clinical chemistry. 35 (12): 2261-70. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2686862">Pubmed</a> <span class="ref_v4"></span>
Sections changed:
- Pathology