Endocrine Abstracts

Thyroid hormone transport into cells critically depends on plasma membrane transport proteins. One of these, monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8), is mutated in patients suffering from a form of X-linked mental retardation, the Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome. These patients are characterized by abnormal thyroid hormone and TSH plasma levels indicating a role for MCT8 in the regulation of the thyroid hormone axis. Mice lacking the Mct8 gene replicate the thyroid hormone a...

Iodine (I) and selenium (Se) are two essential trace elements for regular thyroid gland functioning and thyroid hormone metabolism. Most Europeans are only marginally supplied with both elements through their daily nutrition. The mammalian organism has developed efficient and highly complex mechanisms to control I and Se uptake, metabolism and recycling. The thyroid gland is equipped with the necessary transporters and metabolizing enzymes for I uptake and bioconversion into t...

Introduction: Thyrotropin (TSH) and the gonadotropins (FSH, LH, hCG) are a family of heterodimeric glycoprotein hormones composed of two noncovalently linked subunits, α and β. hTSH, heterodimer was converted to a biologically active single-peptide chain, by fusing the common α subunit to the carboxyl-terminal end of hTSHβ subunit in the absence (hTSHβα) or presence of a ~30 aminoacid carboxyl-terminal peptide fr...

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element needed for the biosynthesis of selenoproteins. Biosynthesis of such proteins depends on the selenocysteine incorporation sequence binding protein 2 (SBP2), which represents a key trans-acting factor during the translation process. We recently described children with mutations in SBP2 gene who displayed an abnormal thyroid function test(s) and reduced selenoprotein concentrations. Now we aimed to improve selenoprotein biosynthesis and...

Objectives: Graves' disease (GD) is an autoimmune disease caused by combination of environmental and genetic factors. The CTLA-4 gene is a candidate gene for conferring susceptibility to thyroid autoimmunity. Increased serum level of soluble isoform of CTLA-4 molecule (sCTLA-4), resulting by alternative splicing, was found in some autoimmune diseases. The role of this molecule in the pathomechanism of autoimmunity has not been defined.The principa...