Endocrine Abstracts

The brain is an important target of progesterone. Already earlier studies consistently reported the presence of progesterone receptors (PR) throughout the brain. The wide distribution of brain PR has subsequently been confirmed by mRNA analysis, immunohistochemistry and more recently by immunoelectron microscopy. Surprisingly, the significance of the wide distribution of PR in the brain has largely remained unexplored, and only hypothalamic receptors have been extensively stud...

Introduction: Adipokines, such as resistin and fasting-induced adipose factor (FIAF), are implicated in the regulation of insulin sensitivity and regulated by nuclear receptors like peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα). Primarily expressed in murine fat, we also showed that these adipokines are expressed in the mouse hypothalamus, as well as in N-1 hypothalamic neurons. We hypothesized that rosiglitazone (R...

Testosterone in serum may be unbound (free), or bound to either sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) or albumin. Consequently, ‘total’ serum testosterone analysis may be misleading in situations where binding protein concentrations are abnormal. Current methods for estimating the biologically active (bio-available) serum testosterone concentration involve physical separation of testosterone fractions and are not amenable to high-throughput analysis. The use of automat...

Introduction: The relation of hypothyroidism with the breast cancer is described early in the literature based in some common pathophysiological paths which associate thyroid gland and breast tissue.Methods: A literature research in PubMed and Cochrane library database was performed for articles studying any possible association between the risk for development of breast cancer with the presence of hypothyroidism history in women.R...

A reliable form of androgen substitution therapy in terms of favorable kinetics and tolerance as well as effective restoration of androgenicity is paramount in hypogonadal men. A feasible modality is the intramuscular injection of the long-acting ester testosterone undecanoate (TU).We report data from 183 patients (99 with primary, 70 with secondary hypogonadism and 14 with late-onset hypogonadism) aged 15–70 years (mean 37±12 years) receiving ...

Context: We have previously demonstrated that, in cranially irradiated patients with normal peak GH responses to both the insulin tolerance test (ITT) and the growth hormone-releasing hormone plus arginine stimulation test (GHRH+AST), somatotroph reserve can be substantially reduced, while individual and overall spontaneous GH secretion remain entirely normal due presumably to a compensatory increase in hypothalamic stimulatory input within a partially damaged hypothalamic pit...

Cortisol is metabolised by two 11βHSD isoenzymes. Recently, we reported that 11βHSD1 and 11βHSD2 mRNA and protein are co-expressed in boar testis and throughout the male reproductive tract. However, enzyme activities were only detectable in boar testis, caput epididymidis, bulbourethral glands and penile urethra. The objective of the present study was to assess whether cortisol–cortisone metabolism in the boar testis and caput epididymidis could be regulate...

Glucose is slowly linked to haemoglobin in a non-enzymatic reaction and the determination of a glycated protein (HbA1c) is used for long term monitoring blood glucose concentrations. Radiometabolism studies in sheep showed that a haemoglobin-adduct formation also takes place with epinephrine or norepinephrine.The aim of our study was to elucidate if there is a competition between catecholamines and glucose for binding sites on proteins of the erythrocyte...

Triple A syndrome is is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterised by achalasia, alacrima, adrenocorticotropin-resistant adrenal insufficiency and a variable and progressive neurological phenotype. The AAAS gene encodes a 60kD WD-repeat nuclear pore protein named ALADIN (alacrima, achalasia, adrenal insufficiency neurologic disorder); its function and tissue distribution are unknown. In this study we performed in situ hybridization with 35S end-labelled AAAS mRNA oligon...

11BHSD1 is a NADP-dependant, bi-directional enzyme which inter-converts the glucocorticoid cortisol with its inactive metabolite cortisone. Follicular fluid (FF) from large antral ovarian follicles contains hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds which stimulate and inhibit 11BHSD1 enzyme activities, respectively. The objective of this study was to assess whether levels of these enzyme modulators change in FF during development of porcine follicles. Pooled samples of FF, aspirat...