23:T4b9,During wound healing of human skin the deposition of foetal antigen 2 (FA2) and basement membrane (BM) components collagen type IV and collagen VII was followed. FA2 appeared on day 8 in the cytoplasm of proliferating fibroblasts and around newly formed blood vessels. As granulation tissue was formed, FA2 was seen diffusely in the loose matrix and in proliferating fibroblasts. Re-establishment of FA2 as a broad diffuse band along the BM at the dermo-epidermal junction was seen on day 22. In contrast, type IV and VII collagen were found along the BM and in the basal cells of the newly formed epithelium and a continuous linear BM distribution of these two components were re-established by days 12 and 14, respectively. The molecular weight (Mr) analysis of FA2, isolated from human skin fibroblast culture supernatants using SDS-PAGE, revealed a Mr of 27 kDa, corresponding to that of FA2 isolated from amniotic fluid. The presence of FA2 in proliferating fibroblasts and diffusely in the newly formed matrix of granulation tissue, as well as its late appearance at the BM after this had become established, suggests that FA2 takes part in connective tissue metabolism and perhaps tissue morphogenesis.24:T52c,Serum concentration of fetal antigen 2 (FA2) in patients with hyperthyroidism (n = 18) (median: 12.9 mAU/l; range: 3.2-22.4 mAU/l) was significantly (p < 0.002) higher than in age- and sex-matched healthy controls (median: 4.1 mAU FA2/l; range: 2.4-10.0 mAU FA2/l). Serum FA2 was positively correlated with thyroxine (T4) (Rs = 0.51; p < 0.05), triiodothyronine (T3) (Rs = 0.64; p < 0.01), bone-Gla protein (BGP) (Rs = 0.70; p < 0.01), total alkaline phosphatase (total-AP) (Rs = 0.62; p < 0.01), bone isoenzyme alkaline phosphatase (bone-AP) (Rs = 0.63; p < 0.01), N-terminal procollagen type III (PIIINP) (Rs = 0.65; p < 0.01) and urine OH-proline (OHP) (Rs = 0.79; p < 0.01). In patients with hyperparathyroidism the pretreatment levels of FA2 (n = 8) (median: 17.6 mAU/l; range: 5.2-35.0 mAU/l) were significantly (p < 0.001) higher than those of age- and sex-matched controls (median: 3.7 mAU FA2/l; range: 3.4-9.0 mAU/l). The pretreatment level of FA2 was positively correlated with the parathyroid hormone (PTH) (Rs = 0.80; p < 0.05). Following surgical treatment the serum concentrations of FA2, PTH, and BGP decreased compared to pretreatment levels and the fall in these three parameters revealed parallelism. These data indicate that serum FA2 can be used as a marker in the evaluation of metabolic bone diseases.

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