Endocrine Abstracts

In human GL cells, 11beta-HSD catalyses the interconversion of cortisol (F) with its inert 11-ketosteroid metabolite, cortisone (E). Since GL cells synthesise prostaglandins (PGs), and PGs have been shown to modulate the expression and activity of the cloned 11beta-HSD enzymes, the objective of the present study was to establish whether locally synthesised PGs affected the net oxidation of F to E by 11beta-HSD in human GL cells recovered from the ovaries of women undergoing co...

Introduction: Diabetes teams need to keep electronic data records for supporting participation in the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA), and other governance activities. NPDA benchmarks diabetes services against each other, and services are keen to make sure their data is accurate so that it gives a good reflection of their service. Twinkle is a specialised database that is widely used for this purpose.Twinkle allows units to produce specific rep...

Adrenal crisis is a life-threatening complication in patients with adrenal insufficiency. In order to prevent critical situations, patients are supposed to increase their glucocorticoid dose in distressing situations. If dose adjustment is not sufficient, sooner or later patients will fall into a coma, followed by death. While health condition worsens patients usually call paramedics, followed by a decision for primary therapy and transportation to the nearest hospital. We ass...

Glucocorticoids (Gcs) act via the intracellular glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to regulate cellular homeostasis. GR is a ligand-activated transcription factor which mediates effects within the nucleus or cytoplasm to regulate genomic or non-genomic events. Localisation of the GR to a specific cellular compartment is therefore an important determinant of the cellular response to Gcs.Live cell imaging of GR trafficking in cells transfected with fluorophore-t...

Adrenal crisis is a life-threatening complication in patients with adrenal insufficiency. In order to prevent critical situations, patients have to increase their glucocorticoid dose in distressing situations. Continuous education of patients concerning dosage adaption in challenging situations seems to be important for long term management. As previously shown, both acute illness and emotional stress may lead to critical situations. In every outpatient visit patients should b...

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is generally caused by an adenoma or adrenal hyperplasia. To discern between these two, selective adrenal vein sampling (AVS) is necessary. Adequate interpretation requires that RAAS-interfering medication be withdrawn. We report a patient with severe PA, where it was not possible to safely withdraw RAAS-interfering medication.Case: A 37-year-old male was referred for AVS. He had documented PA and bilateral adrenal adenomas on ...

PARADIGHM™ is a global registry (NCT01922440) of patients diagnosed with hypoparathyroidism (HPT) ≥6 months regardless of aetiology and management. Routine medical care data were entered using electronic case report forms; the 36-item Short Form Health Survey was completed by patients. Baseline-recorded data are reported for 492 patients enrolled as of 1 December 2016 from 41 centres. At baseline, 78% were women, mean (S.D.) age was 49 (17)...

Natriuretic peptides and their cGMP-synthesizing guanylyl cyclase receptors (GC-A, receptor for ANP and BNP; GC-B, for CNP) are critically involved in the regulation of arterial blood pressure (all NPs) and skeletal growth (only CNP). Both receptors are expressed in all cardiac cell types, although at different densities. GC-A is expressed at higher levels in endothelial and smooth muscle cells, whereas GC-B predominates in myocytes and fibroblasts. In heart failure (HF) patie...

The gut hormone glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 lowers blood glucose by stimulating meal-related insulin secretion and lowering hyperglucagonaemia in a glucose-dependent manner. Currently, injectable GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) and oral inhibitors of the dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 enzyme, that degrades native GLP-1, are successfully employed in the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Clinically relevant extrapancreatic effects of GLP-1 (RA) involve slowing down gastric ...

Vitamin D is a pleotropic hormone with important actions in a wide variety of cell types. Whilst its role in the endocrine control of calcium metabolism via the active circulating metabolite 1,25- dihydroxy cholecalciferol is widely appreciated, other actions in a range of cells and tissues depend on activation of circulating 25-hydroxy vitamin D by intracrine mechanisms and paracrine actions which may be locally controlled. Of particular interest are the roles of vitamin D pe...