OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at comparing the Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) gene polymorphic variants of schizophrenics with those of normal controls, and to investigate its contribution to the development of schizophrenia. METHODS: One hundred and thirty five schizophrenics in accordance with DSM-IV criteria and one hundred and fourteen healthy individuals participated in this study. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood using proteinase K, and the MCP-1 gene promoter region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Gene typing was analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) using restriction enzyme PvuII. RESULTS: Distribution of the genotypes and alleles of MCP-1 gene in the patient group was not significantly different from that of the control group (p=0.145 and p=0.122, respectively). There was difference in the frequencies of genotypes between positive and negative subgroup (p=0.035), but no difference in frequencies of alleles between the two subgroups (p=0.078). There was no difference in scores of PANSS general, positive and negative subscale, the age of onset, the presence or absence of family history between patients with or without -2518G allele (p=0.979, p=0.378, p=0.056, p=0.256 and p=0.301, respectively). CONCLUSION: We suggest that the polymorphism in the MCP-1 promotor gene may be the possible marker for subgouping of negative type schizophrenia.
Age of Onset ; Alleles ; Chemokine CCL2 ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; DNA ; Endopeptidase K ; Genotype ; Humans ; Monocytes* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Schizophrenia*

Hyperfunctioning thyroid carcinoma is very rare. Hence, radionuclide imaging of thyroid hot nodules usually suggests a benign tumor, and less than 4% of cases have been reported as malignant. We would like to present a case of a hyperfunctioning papillary thyroid carcinoma that was initially treated with radioactive iodine. A 58-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for palpable thyroid nodule and a 5-kg weight loss within 6 months. Thyroid function test revealed thyrotoxicosis, and thyroid autoantibodies were absent. 99mTc thyroid scintigraphy showed a 2 x 2 cm-sized hyperactive hot nodule at the left lobe. Despite radioactive iodine treatment with a dose of 10 mCi 131I, thyroid function did not improve. Fine needle aspiration revealed papillary thyroid cancer. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy. Although clinical features and thyroid scans suggest a benign nodule, the possibility of malignancy should not be ruled out. Malignant thyroid hot nodules are rare; however, its possibility should be taken into account. Therefore, we suggest that ruling out malignancy by existing diagnostic guidelines can misdiagnose even a typical case with benign features. As thyroid nodule detection is getting sensitive and accurate, we present this case to discuss whether additional diagnostic approaches would be necessary for thyroid nodules.
Autoantibodies ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma ; Female ; Humans ; Iodine ; Middle Aged ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyrotoxicosis ; Weight Loss