Endocrine Abstracts

The somatostatin receptor 5 (sst5) and its truncated splicing variants (sst5TMD5, sst5TMD4) are considered putative biomarkers that can predict pharmacological response or aggressiveness in several endocrine-related pathologies, such as acromegaly. sst5 is encoded by a gene, SSTR5, that lacks introns within its coding sequence, and hence, the splicing variants identified are generated by non-canonical splicing events. However, the mechanisms underlying their genesis a...

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a complex and heterogeneous cancer that progresses from slow-growing, tissue-confined lesions, to highly aggressive and metastatic forms. Among the different processes involved in this progression, dysregulation of the alternative splicing mechanism, and, particularly, the generation of the spliced androgen receptor variant-7 (ARv7), plays a critical role in the pharmacological resistance of PCa patients (i.e. Abiraterone or Enzalutamide). In this cont...

Background: Somatostatin (SST)/Cortistatin (CORT) system is a complex hormonal axis involved in the progression of several tumor types. However, its role has not been explored in prostate cancer (PCa), one of the most common type among men.Objectives: We aimed to investigate the presence and the pathophysiological role of SST/CORT in PCa.Methods: We analysed functional parameters in response to SST and CORT and to CORT-silencing in...

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths in men worldwide. Early detection of PCa faces severe limitations as PSA displays poor-specificity. Therefore, new diagnostic and therapeutic alternatives are urgently needed.Objectives: This work was aimed to investigate the miRNA landscape in PCa and explore their putative diagnostic/therapeutic utility.Methods: The miRNome of plasma sampl...

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis is based on the serum levels of prostatic specific antigen (PSA), which might be influenced by many clinical conditions, including obesity. In addition, the diagnostic capability of PSA test dramatically drops when considering patients with PSA levels lower than 10ng/mL (i.e. “grey-zone”). Therefore, the identification of more reliable non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for PCa is a critical unmet clinical need. In this sce...

Background: Glioblastomas (GBMs) remain the deadliest human brain tumors, with a poor prognosis despite years of research. Currently, standard therapeutic strategies to treat GBM are not efficient, and the overall survival is ˜14 months. Thus, the identification of new therapeutic tools to battle GBMs is crucial. In this sense, many metabolic drugs (e.g., metformin (MF) and simvastatin (SVT)) have emerged as putative antitumor agents for certain endocrine-related cancers,...

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common endocrine-related cancers (ERCs) among men worldwide. The aggressiveness of this tumor pathology is highly influenced by different endocrine-related factors, highlighting the crucial role of androgens. Therefore, the main therapeutic approach for PCa patients is based on the pharmacological blockade of androgen-signaling. However, some patients become unresponsive and develop a highly lethal castration-resistant disease, pointing...

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) are heterogeneous neoplasms with a relatively low but increasing incidence, mainly due to the difficulty in diagnosing this disease in its early stages. This notably complicates the treatment of this pathology and leads to a poor prognosis. One of the main reasons for this problem is the lack of adequate diagnostic biomarkers as well as effective therapeutic targets. In this sense, there is still a limited knowledge about alternative ...

Craniopharyngiomas (CPs) are a relatively benign subtype of epithelial tumors that typically originate from the sellar and suprasellar regions of the brain. These endocrine tumors are classified as adamantinomatous (ACP) or papillary (PCP) based on their histological characteristics. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of CPs is frequently made at an advanced stage of tumor development, and therefore relevant associated comorbidities are often present. The first-line treatment is typ...

The intrinsic heterogeneity of endocrine-related cancers (ERCs) hampers the identification and development of global and effective therapeutic treatments for these pathologies. However, the dysregulation of the splicing process has been postulated as a new common hallmark shared by most cancer types, since it is associated with the appearance of splicing variants with oncogenic potential (e.g. CD44v6, BCL-Xs, AR-v7, SST5TMD4, In1-ghrelin...