New Product Release | 3-Methoxytyramine RIA Kit

Posted by Brandon Savela on Jul 13th 2017

3-METHOXYTYRAMINE PLASMA RIA FAST TRACK (3-MT RIA) (IB88528)

ADVANTAGES:

New biomarker of phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma tumours
The first commercial assay worldwide!
Speed and ease of use
48 duplicate determinations or 96 single
Easy sample preparation (extraction)
No known interferences by medical drugs
High correlation with LC/MS-MS
Wide standard ranges, convenient measurement of pathological samples without predilution

COMPARISON LC-MS/MS: 3-Methoxytyramine RIA vs LC-MS/MS

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Cells derived from neuroendocrine tumors (e.g. pheochromcytoma) are known to produce catecholamines which are secreted episodically via vesicles into the bloodstream. Along with this, a small portion of the catecholamines is metabolized inside the cells to the corresponding catecholamines metabolites – namely metanephrine, normetanephrine and 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT) – which are secreted at low levels continuously into the bloodstream. 3-methoxytyramine is a metabolite of the neurotransmitter Dopamine formed by the introduction of a methyl group to dopamine by the enzyme catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT). The measurement of 3-MT allows the detection of dopamine-producing tumors: For example a substantial number of subjects with head-and-neck paragangliomas (HNPGL) have biochemically active tumors and only display increased excretion of 3-MT, but not of other catecholamines or their metabolites. The combined levels of free metanephrine/normetanephrine and free 3-MT in plasma indicate a higher number of biochemically active HNPGLs than the 24-h urinary excretion rates of these markers. In addition, 3-MT acts as a neuromodulator and can also induce behavioral effects involved in movement control in a dopamine independent manner. Most of these effects are mediated by the trace amine associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) which in turn is involved in abnormal dopaminergic transmission, such as Parkinson's disease, dyskinesia and schizophrenia. The 3-Methoxytyramine RIA is designed for research use only and should not be used in diagnostic procedures.