Endocrine Abstracts

Annexin 1 (ANXA1) was first identified as a glucocorticoid (GC)-inducible protein in macrophages and is a mediator of the powerful anti-inflammatory actions of these steroid hormones. In the pituitary ANXA1 plays a critical role in mediating the early-onset negative feedback effects of GCs on the release of ACTH. ANXA1 is expressed in abundance in the anterior pituitary gland where it is localized specifically to the S100-positive folliculo-stellate (FS) cells. GCs act on FS c...

Background: Medical research suggests individuals with KS are visibly different and likely to be affected by their appearance. This can be associated with increased social stigma and increased psychological morbidity. This can undermine an already fragile self esteem, potentially increasing the risk of social isolation, resulting in further psychological distress. This study qualitatively explored the experiences of men living with a diagnosis of KS.Meth...

Annexin 1 (ANXA1) externalised from folliculostellate cells is known to be an essential intermediate in the early delayed (30 min- 3 h) negative feedback of glucocorticoids on the release of ACTH and other pituitary hormones. We have used a well-characterised folliculostellate cell line (TtT/GF cells) to investigate the mechanism by which ANXA1, a cytoplasmic protein, is externalised by cells. Externalisation is stimulated by dexamethasone (Dex) and inhibited by inhibitors of ...

Annexin 1 (ANXA1) is a 37 Kd member of the annexin family of Ca2+− and phospholipid binding proteins that has been well demonstrated to act as a mediator of glucocorticoid action in inflammation and in the control of anterior pituitary hormone release. ANXA1 is also proapoptotic and has been identified as a mediator of apoptotic cell engulfment (Solito et al. 2003 FASEB J 17:1544; Arur et al. 2003 Dev Cell 4:587). Using yeast two hybrid screening...

Annexin 1 (Anx-1), a 37kDa protein, is a member of the super-family of Ca 2+ and phospholipid-binding annexin proteins and acts as a mediator of glucocorticoid (GC) action in the host defense and neuroendocrine systems. In the anterior pituitary Anx-1 is expressed mainly by folliculostellate (FS) cells and mediates the early delayed feedback inhibition exerted by GCs on the release of ACTH and other pituitary hormones. It has been previously demonstrated that TtT/GF...

Archipelago/hCdc4/Fbw7 is the F-box protein specific for recognising and binding phosphorylated cyclin E and targeting it for ubiquitination. Mutations in Archipelago that prevent it from binding to phoshorylated cyclin E have been described in various human cancers including breast, ovarian and endometrial tumours. Previous studies have suggested that cyclin E is over-expressed in corticotroph tumours and other pituitary adenoma subtypes, and we postulated that this may be se...

Hereditary nephrogenic diabetes (di/di) in mice results from a failure of vasopressin (VP)action caused by overactive renal cAMP phosphodiesterase activity. The adult animals pass large amounts of dilute (100 mOsm per kg) urine and have hyperosmotic plasma (40 mOsm per kg greater than wild-type). Their osmotic status is therefore similar to that in Brattleboro rats in which both VP and oxytocin (OT) neurons are hyperactive and the neural lobe is depleted of both OT and VP. The...

A 69-year-old retired pharmacist was referred to our endocrine clinic with an incidental finding of hypokalaemia noted during recent spinal fusion surgery. He has been hypertensive for 6 years. His blood pressure was well controlled on Diltiazem 240 mg and Doxazosin 4 mg, but required 8 tablets of SandoK daily to maintain normokalaemia. His past medical history includes type 2 diabetes, diabetic retinopathy, chronic kidney disease, hypercholesterolaemia and benign prostatic hy...

Case history: A 26 year-old lady was admitted from clinic with severe hypertension and bilateral papilloedema. Six weeks prior to admission she had undergone resection of a massive right upper quadrant lesion that was felt to be of hepatic origin. Histological analysis of the lesion revealed it to be an adrenal phaeochromocytoma and she was thus referred to the endocrine service. Pre-operative biochemical assessment had not been performed but there was no evidence of any blood...

Background: Aldosterone producing cell clusters (APCCs) are microscopic pockets of cells in the adrenal zona glomerulosa (ZG), which stain densely for aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2). They exist in 30% of normal adrenal glands and have similar somatic genetic mutations as some aldosterone producing adenomas (APA), especially of CACNA1D. Some APCCs are precursors to APAs. Adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism (PA) cures hypertension in < 50% of patients, maybe bec...