Transthyretin (TTR or TBPA) is a transport protein in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid that transports the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) and retinol to the liver. This is how transthyretin gained its name: transports thyroxine and retinol. The liver secretes TTR into the blood, and the choroid plexus secretes TTR into the cerebrospinal fluid. TTR was originally called prealbumin (or thyroxine-binding prealbumin) because it migrated faster than albumin on electrophoresis gels. Prealbumin was felt to be a misleading name, it is not a synthetic precursor of albumin. The alternative name TTR was proposed by DeWitt Goodman in 1981. Human transthyretrin protein is encoded by the TTR gene, which is located on the long arm of chromosome 18, in cytogenetic band 18q12.1.
Background References
1. Ranasinghe RN et al. Prealbumin: The clinical utility and analytical methodologies. Ann Clin Biochem. 2022 Jan
2. Yu Q et al. Serum prealbumin as a predictor of adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biomark Med. 2022 May
Sequence Similarity
Belongs to the transthyretin family.
Tissue Specificity
Detected in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (at protein level). Highly expressed in choroid plexus epithelial cells. Detected in retina pigment epithelium and liver.
Post-translational Modification
Not glycosylated under normal conditions. Following unfolding, caused for example by variant AMYL-TTR 'Gly-38', the cryptic Asn-118 site is exposed and glycosylated by STT3B-containing OST complex, leading to its degradation by the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway.
Western blot analysis of Prealbumin on human plasma lysate with Rabbit anti-Prealbumin antibody (ET1702-42) at 1/1,000 dilution.
Lysates/proteins at 20 µg/Lane. Exposure time: 6 seconds; ECL: K1801
Blocking: 5% NFDM/TBST, 1 hour at room temperature Primary antibody: ET1702-42, 1/5,000 in 5% NFDM/TBST, overnight at 4 ℃ Secondary antibody: Goat anti-Rabbit IgG-HRP (HA1001), 1/50,000 in 5% NFDM/TBST, 1 hour at room temperature
Predicted band size: 16 kDa Observed band size: 16 kDa
Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded human liver tissue using anti-Prealbumin antibody. The section was pre-treated using heat mediated antigen retrieval with Tris-EDTA buffer (pH 8.0-8.4) for 20 minutes.The tissues were blocked in 5% BSA for 30 minutes at room temperature, washed with ddH2O and PBS, and then probed with the primary antibody (ET1702-42, 1/50) for 30 minutes at room temperature. The detection was performed using an HRP conjugated compact polymer system. DAB was used as the chromogen. Tissues were counterstained with hematoxylin and mounted with DPX.
Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded human pancreas tissue using anti-Prealbumin antibody. The section was pre-treated using heat mediated antigen retrieval with Tris-EDTA buffer (pH 8.0-8.4) for 20 minutes.The tissues were blocked in 5% BSA for 30 minutes at room temperature, washed with ddH2O and PBS, and then probed with the primary antibody (ET1702-42, 1/200) for 30 minutes at room temperature. The detection was performed using an HRP conjugated compact polymer system. DAB was used as the chromogen. Tissues were counterstained with hematoxylin and mounted with DPX.
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