Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of pregnancy occurring prior to 24 weeks of gestation, and can be devastating for affected couples. Abnormal placental development is observed in two-thirds of miscarriages. Recently, the circulating placental markers kisspeptin, prokineticin-1 (PK-1), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt1), soluble endoglin (sEng) and placental growth factor (PlGF) have been identified and investigated for potential associations with miscarr...

Background: In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is an effective treatment for infertility, but can cause the ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS), which is associated with serous effusions, circulatory collapse, and even death. The use of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) stimulates oocyte maturation during IVF, but is also the major cause of OHSS. The hypothalamic neuropeptide kisspeptin stimulates endogenous LH secretion in a GnRH-dependent manner. A more physiologi...

Background: IVF is an effective treatment for infertility, but can cause the ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS), which is associated with serous effusions, cardiac tamponade, circulatory collapse, and even death. Injection of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) stimulates oocyte maturation during IVF, but is also the major cause of OHSS. The hypothalamic neuropeptide kisspeptin, stimulates endogenous LH secretion in a GnRH-dependent manner. A more physiological stimulus...

Background: Placentation (invasion of the placenta into the maternal endometrium of pregnancy known as the decidua) is hypothesised to be critical for healthy placental function and is abnormal in two thirds of miscarriage. Kisspeptin has emerged as a putative regulator of physiological placentation; it is highly expressed in placental syncitio-trophoblasts, whereas its receptor is expressed in both syncitio- and cyto-trophoblasts, such that kisspeptin is hypothesized to play ...

Background: Hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism is characterised by hypogonadism in the context of low/inappropriately normal gonadotrophin levels. Congenital Hypogonadotrophic Hypogonadism (CHH) occurs due to disrupted GnRH neuronal migration, or impaired hypothalamic GnRH secretion or action. However, no direct test of hypothalamic GnRH neuronal function currently exists. Kisspeptin-54 is a neuropeptide that stimulates endogenous hypothalamic GnRH release. Thus, we investigated w...

Background: Phaeochromocytomas (PCC) and paragangliomas (PGL) are neuroendocrine tumours that can secrete catecholamines. PCC are found in the adrenals, whereas PGL are found at any level between the skull base to the pelvis. More than 25% of cases are associated with mutations in susceptibility genes such as the SDH subunits. Screening for PCC/PGL crucially depends on detection of biochemical markers such as catecholamines and metanephrines (catecholamine metabolites).<p ...

The physiological post-prandial release of the gut hormones PYY and GLP-1 is implicated in triggering CNS mechanisms underlying satiety. However, the combined effects of PYY and GLP-1 on brain circuits underlying satiety in humans remain unknown.Objective: To determine changes in CNS neuronal activity following single and combined infusions of PYY and GLP-1, using blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD fMRI) in human vol...

Background: Hypothalamic amenorrhoea (HA) accounts for over 30% of cases of amenorrhoea in women of reproductive age. Current treatments have limited success rates and side effects. We have recently shown that a single injection of the novel hormone kisspeptin potently stimulates reproductive hormone release in women with HA. However, twice-daily kisspeptin administration to women with HA, results in tachyphylaxis due to desensitisation of the kisspeptin receptor. This suggest...

Background: Distressing low sexual desire, termed Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), affects 10% of women and 8% of men. The established ‘top-down’ neurofunctional model of HSDD in women suggests that in response to erotic cues, excessive activation of higher-level cognitive brain regions (involved in introspection/self-monitoring) suppresses lower-level sexual brain centres, thereby impeding normal sexual function. By contrast, the neurodysfunction in men wit...

Kisspeptin is a crucial activator of reproductive function, stimulating GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus. However, kisspeptin and its receptor are also expressed in other brain regions including the limbic system, which has key roles in emotional processing. Kisspeptin signalling in the limbic system modulates emotional and sexual brain processing during tasks, however the effects of kisspeptin on underlying resting brain activity have not yet been studied. This is vital for o...