Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Adiponectin is a protein hormone secreted by adipocytes. Its expression is higher in lean than in obese individuals and in women than in men. It inhibits expression of gluconeogenic enzymes and the rate of glucose production. It also stimulates glucose utilization and fatty acids oxidation. Adiponectin is encoded by a highly polymorphic ADIPOQ gene. The −11377C>G, −11391G>A, and −11426A>G ADIPOQ polymorphisms modulate cir...

Introduction: Leptin is a protein hormone secreted mainly by adipose tissue. It exerts its function via ubiquitously expressed receptors (LEPR). A number of LEPR isoforms are known. Metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates, that, in part, depends on leptin, might deteriorate with age. Aging is associated with a decrease of the global methylation and with hypermethylation of some promoter-located CpG islands. Such hypermethylation results in transcription inhibition.<p class=...

Introduction: Thermogenesis constitutes an important part of energy expenditure and its disturbances may contribute to the development of obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the expression of thermogenesis-related genes differs in adipose tissues of obese and normal-weight individuals and if methylation of CpG islands located in the regulatory regions of these genes is involved in this phenomenon.Materials and methods: The expressio...

Introduction: In Central Europe, vitamin D deficiency is common, and a very pronounced deficiency of this vitamin is observed in obese individuals. We hypothesized that the decreased serum concentration of vitamin D might be in part due to the changed metabolism of this vitamin in adipose tissues.Methods: We assessed the expression of vitamin D 25-hydroxylase genes CYP2J2 and CYP2R1 in adipose tissues of obese and slim patients using RT...

Introduction: Decreased function of the thyroid axis during aging is associated with a better functional performance and longer survival. This phenomenon can be a result not only of a lower production of thyroid hormones including bioavailable triiodothyronine, but also of age-associated alterations regarding triiodothyronine receptors.Methods: Functional studies regarding interaction between the 3′UTR of TRβ1 mRNA and in silico-ident...

Background and aims: CXC chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) also known as chemokine interferon γ inducible protein (IP-10) is a CXCR3 chemokine belongs to a group of structurally related molecules, that induce the chemotaxis of diverse leukocyte subtypes including activated T-helper 1 lymphocytes, natural killer cells and monocytes. In patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, type 1 diabetes mellitus and Graves’ disease high levels of CXCL10 ligand in serum have been fo...