Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)

Front Cover

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)

Copyright Page

Table of Contents

Foreword

About the Author

Abbreviations

Contributors

Part A: Introduction

Chapter 1 The Expanding World of hCG

Chapter 2 History and Introduction to Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG): One Name for at Least Three Independent Molecules

Chapter 3 Introduction to Pregnancy Implantation, Villous Formation, and Hemochorial Placentation

Part B: Genetics, Synthesis, Secretion, Structure, and Degradation of hCG

Chapter 4 The Molecular Genetics of hCG

4.1 The LH/hCG Gene Cluster

4.2 Control of hCG Gene Expression: hCGα

4.3 Control of hCG Gene Expression: hCGβ

Chapter 5 Structure, Synthesis, Secretion, and Function of hCG

5.1 Amino Acid Sequence of hCG

5.2 Carbohydrate Structure of hCG

5.3 hCG Primary Structure

5.4 hCG Secondary Structure

5.5 hCG Tertiary Structure

5.6 hCG Quaternary Structure

5.7 Combination of hCG Subunits

5.8 Synthesis and Secretion of hCG

5.9 Functions of hCG

Chapter 6 Comparison of the Structures of hCG and Hyperglycosylated hCG

6.1 Peptide Structure of hCG-H

6.2 N- and O-Linked Oligosaccharide Structures of hCG-H

Chapter 7 Structures of Free α- and β-Subunits

7.1 Free α-Subunit

7.2 Free β-Subunit

Chapter 8 Glycobiology of hCG

8.1 Characteristic Features of the Sugar Chains of Glycoproteins

8.2 Biosynthetic Pathways of the Sugar Chains of Glycoproteins to Form Their Characteristic Features

8.3 The hCG Sugar Chains from Urine of Pregnant Women and Placenta

8.4 Characteristic Features of the Sugar Chains of Free α-Subunit

8.5 Comparative Studies of the N-Linked Sugar Chains of hCG Samples Purified from the Urine of Patients with Various Trophoblastic Diseases

8.6 Alteration Induced in the O-Linked Sugar Chains of hCG by Malignant Transformation of Trophoblasts

8.7 Altered Expression of GnT-IV in Choriocarcinoma Cells

8.8 Glycosylated hCG as a Diagnostic Marker of Trophoblastic Diseases

8.9 Functional Role of the hCG Sialic Acid Residues

8.10 Future Prospects

Chapter 9 Degradation Products of hCG, Hyperglycosylated hCG, and Free β-Subunit

9.1 Pure hCG Preparations

9.2 Nicking and Enzyme Cleavage

9.3 Dissociation

9.4 Liver Clearance

9.5 Degradation with Pregnancy Advancement

Chapter 10 Three-Dimensional Structure of hCG

10.1 hCG

10.2 Hyperglycosylated hCG

10.3 Free β-Subunit

Part C: Biological Function of hCG

Chapter 11 Paradigm Shift on the Targets of hCG Actions

11.1 Summary and Perspectives

Chapter 12 The hCG Receptor

Chapter 13 Biological Function of Hyperglycosylated hCG

Chapter 14 Biological Function of the Free β-Subunit: Expression and Treatment Target in Cancer

14.1 hCGβ Gene Expression in Cancer

14.2 hCGβ Expression in Epithelial Cancer

14.3 The Biological Action of hCGβ on Epithelial Tumors

14.4 hCG Cancer Vaccines

Part D: Clinical Applications

Chapter 15 Use of hCG in Reproductive Dysfunction

15.1 Historical Overview and Perspective

15.2 Considerations of hCG Administration within Clinical Protocols

15.3 Timing Administration of hCG—Ultrasound Monitoring, Progesterone Patterns, and Endogenous LH Surge Patterns

15.4 Risks of Ovulation Management with hCG

15.5 Efficacy of LUF Syndrome

15.6 Considerations of hCG Administration for Timing IUI

15.7 High-Order Multiple Pregnancies

Chapter 16 hCG in Assisted Reproduction

16.1 The Ovarian Cycle and hCG Use in Assisted Reproduction

16.2 The Follicular Phase: The Role of LH

16.3 The Periovulatory Phase and the Mid-Cycle LH Surge

16.4 The Follicular–Luteal Transition

16.5 The Luteal–Placental Shift

16.6 The Potential Role of hCG in Implantation

16.7 hCG in the Management of Normal Pregnancy

16.8 Hyperstimulation Syndrome

16.9 hCG in the Management of Ectopic Pregnancy

16.10 Conclusions

Chapter 17 Illicit Use of hCG in Dietary Programs and Use to Promote Anabolism

17.1 Dietary Programs

17.2 hCG and Anabolism Promotion

Part E: hCG Tests

Chapter 18 Antibodies for Intact hCG, for Total hCG, for Free Subunits, Glycosylation Variants, and for hCG Fragments

18.1 Intact hCG and Total hCG Assay

18.2 Free Subunit, Glycosylation Variant, and Fragment Assay

18.3 Generating an Immunoassay

Chapter 19 Quantitative hCG Assays

19.1 Manual Immunometric Assays

19.2 Automated Immunometric Assays

19.3 Competitive Radioimmunoassays

Chapter 20 False Positive hCG Assays

20.1 False Positive hCG Test

Chapter 21 Specificity of Different hCG Assays

21.1 Clinical Laboratory Tests

21.2 Point-of-Care Tests

21.3 Over-the-Counter Tests

Chapter 22 Point-of-Care Pregnancy Tests

22.1 Point-of-Care Tests

Chapter 23 Over-the-Counter Pregnancy Tests

23.1 How OTC Tests Work

23.2 Accuracy of OTC Tests

Chapter 24 hCG Standards

24.1 First IS

24.2 Second IS

24.3 Third IS

24.4 IRR for hCG and Related Substances

24.5 Future Prospects

24.6 Recombinant hCG

Part F: Test Applications

Chapter 25 Background hCG

25.1 Serum hCG

25.2 Urine hCG

25.3 The Cancer Predicament

25.4 The Menopausal hCG Quandary

Chapter 26 Pregnancy Testing

Chapter 27 Predicting Spontaneously Aborted (SAB) Pregnancies

27.1 Pregnancy Outcome Markers

27.2 Early Pregnancy hCG

27.3 Testing for hCG-H

Chapter 28 hCG, Hyperglycosylated hCG, and Free β-Subunit in Predicting Down Syndrome Pregnancies and Preeclampsia

28.1 Down Syndrome Screening

28.2 Preeclampsia Screening

Chapter 29 hCG in Monitoring Gestational Trophoblastic Diseases

Chapter 30 Use of Hyperglycosylated hCG as a Unique Marker of Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasms

30.1 Quiescent Gestational Trophoblastic Disease

30.2 Minimally Aggressive Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasm

30.3 Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasm Classification

Chapter 31 Pituitary hCG and Familial hCG

31.1 Structure of Pituitary hCG

31.2 Biological Function of Pituitary hCG

31.3 Occurrence of Pituitary hCG

31.4 Familial hCG Syndrome

Chapter 32 hCG, Free β-Subunit, and β-Core Fragment as Markers of Malignancies

32.1 hCG and Tumor Markers

Part G: Basic Methods

Chapter 33 hCG and Hyperglycosylated hCG Purification and Analysis from Serum, Urine, and Culture Fluids

33.1 Urine hCG and hCG-H

33.2 Culture Fluid hCG and hCG-H

33.3 Serum hCG and hCG-H

33.4 Analysis

Chapter 34 Dissociation, Desialylation, and Cleavage of hCG

34.1 Dissociation

34.2 Desialylation

34.3 Cleavage of β-Subunit C-Terminal Peptide

34.4 Reduction and S-Carboxymethylation of hCG

34.5 Tryptic Digest of Reduced and S-Carboxymethylated hCG Subunit

Chapter 35 hCG and Free β-Subunit Producing Cell Lines

Part H: Evolution, Summary, and the Future

Chapter 36 Evolution of hCG, Evolution of Humans, and Evolution of Human Pregnancy Disorders and Cancer

36.1 CG Evolution

36.2 CG, CG-H, and the Evolution of Humans

36.3 CG Evolution and the Development of Pregnancy Disorders

36.4 hCG and Cancer

36.5 Personal Thoughts

Chapter 37 Summary: hCG a Remarkable Molecule

37.1 hCG Extremities

37.2 Structure of hCG

37.3 Biological Functions

37.4 Detection of hCGβ Polypeptide Group of Molecules

37.5 Administration of hCG

37.6 Detection of hCG Outside Pregnancy

37.7 Synthesis and Degradation of hCG

Chapter 38 hCG and the Future