Endocrine Abstracts

The cardiovascular properties of the natriuretic peptide family of hormones are well-characterised, and provide valuable prognostic indicators in the treatment of heart failure in humans and companion animals. Of the three main mammalian natriuretic peptides, C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) remains the most enigmatic, even though CNP represents the ancestral natriuretic peptide from which Atrial- (ANP) and B-type (BNP) natriuretic peptides evolved through gene duplication. We...

The mammalian natriuretic peptide family consists of three members, Atrial-, B-type, and C-type natriuretic peptides (ANP, BNP, and CNP respectively), and exert their effects on blood pressure, sodium homeostasis, growth and reproduction, via their selective guanylyl cyclase receptors, GC-A or GC-B. Previous attempts to map spatial expression profiling have generated conflicting results, due predominantly to the range of techniques employed, and the relative paucity of tools t...

Placental chorionic gonadotrophin (CG) hormone secretion, critical for maintenance of early pregnancy, is dependent on differentiation of specialised CG-secreting binucleate trophoblast (horse) and syncytiotrophoblast (human). The most abundant genes expressed by binucleate cells are the α and β subunits of equine CG. We recently showed the transcription factor glial cells missing 1 (GCM1) is rapidly induced during differentiation of binucleate trophoblast and mRNA e...

Nephropathy remains a major diabetes related complication despite improvements in metabolic control. Current interventions are based on the appearance of albuminuria. Whether earlier detection and treatment might be beneficial is unclear. The reabsorption of low molecular weight (<70 kDa) plasma proteins in the renal proximal tubule is mediated by an endocytic receptor, megalin, and its coreceptor, cubulin.Using label free quantitative proteomics we ...

The urgency of metabolic syndrome problem in modern medicine is caused by metabolic syndrome prevalence in the general population of 14–24%. The metabolic syndrome plays an essential role in cardiovascular diseases development acceleration. Components are abdominal–visceral obesity, insulinresistance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension and carbohydrate metabolism disorder.Aim: Frequency estimate 2nd type diabetes and insulin ...

Aims: MEN1 is characterised by parathyroid, pituitary and pancreatic tumours in association with neoplasia of intra-thoracic endocrine tissue, adrenal glands and cutaneous manifestations. Mutations of the tumour suppressor Menin are causative and affected patients possess heterozygous germline mutations in MEN1, with acquisition of a second hit in the wild-type allele initiating tumourigenesis. Phenotype–genotype correlations can provide insights into the molecular functi...

Objective: Chorionic gonadotrophin (CG) is a hormone induced during terminal differentiation of trophoblast cells that significantly influences pregnancy outcome. The TGFβ superfamily SMAD2/3 pathway regulates placental function but the activity of the alternative pathway through SMAD1/5/8 in the placenta is unknown. This study investigated the role of BMP4 signalling through SMAD1/5 in terminal differentiation of primary chorionic gonadotrophin-secreting trophoblast cell...

Background and aims: Estimating puberty using Tanner stages is usually done unconfidently by general paediatricians. Self-assessment methods are not reliable. As assessment of growth on the new UK growth charts necessitates establishing pubertal status, we have designed and evaluated a simpler non-invasive approach.Methods: The new system has three Phases– Pre-Puberty (Tanner stage 1), In-Puberty (stages 2/3) and Completing-Puberty (stages 4/5)....

Introduction: Various models of transition are used to help engage and improve the health of young adults. Our transition clinic model: a multi-disciplinary endocrine Adolescent Transition Clinic (ATC), was instituted at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow, in October 2008 serving young people in the West of Scotland. A good transition process should improve clinic attendance, health outcomes and quality of life into adulthood.Aim: To review th...

Spermatozoa are dependent on the proximal epididymis environment to complete their maturation. However, no single specific factor crucial for this process has been identified. Rnase9 and Rnase10 are expressed specifically in the murine proximal epididymis. Located on chromosome 14C1 only 28 kb apart, they do not show high homology with each other. An orthologue of both genes exist in the rat and human, and ‘Train A’ (porcine orthologue) is the most abun...