Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Adrenal insufficiency, or relative insufficiency, might partly explain increased mortality rates in nephroblastoma and neuroblastoma survivors after unilateral adrenalectomy. Aim of this study was to assess adrenal function and its metabolic effects after unilateral adrenalectomy.Patients and Methods: Cross-sectional study with a socio-demographically similar control group, conducted between October 2009-March 2011 at the Erasmus University...

Introduction: Local androgen synthesis in prostate cancer (PC) could contribute to the development of castration-resistant PC (CRPC). Pathways controlling intratumoral steroidogenic enzyme expression in PC are unknown. Since activin has been implicated in regulation of PC growth and steroidogenic enzyme expression in other steroidogenic tissues, we investigated the effect of activin on intratumoral steroidogenesis in PC.Methods: Activin A effects and reg...

Introduction: The diagnosis of Cushing’s Syndrome (CS) and in particular cyclic CS can be complicated. Standard screening tests for CS are the measurement of cortisol in 24-hours urine collections and in midnight saliva. In case of cyclic CS, results of these tests can be normal in between periods of hypercortisolism. The development of a method to measure cortisol in scalp hair provides the opportunity to investigate historical cortisol levels of months to years ago, wit...

Introduction: ACTH stimulates adrenocortical steroid production through the melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R). MC2R trafficking and signaling depend on the melanocortin 2 receptor accessory protein (MRAP). The MRAP-homolog MRAP2 also transports the MC2R but prevents effective activation. We investigated expression of these components of the MC2R complex in human adrenal tissues in order to uncover novel regulatory mechanisms and their contribution to ACTH responsiveness.<p cl...

Introduction: Cushing’s disease (CD) is characterized by various symptoms, amongst which fatigue, muscle weakness and depression. The chronic state of hypercortisolism severely impairs quality of life (QoL). In addition, the physiological cortisol diurnal rhythm (CDR) is disturbed in CD. Transsphenoidal surgery is the primary treatment for CD, but long-term remission rates are disappointing. We performed a prospective trial in which stepwise medical treatment was applied ...