Endocrine Abstracts

The reason why obesity (a chronic low-grade inflammatory disease) is associated with low levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) remains to be elucidated. In the present study we provide evidence that TNFα (a proinflammatory cytokine that increases with obesity) reduces SHBG production by human HepG2 hepatoblastoma cells. The effect of TNFα on human SHBG expression was mediated by NF-κB which causes the downregulation of HNF4α: a key SHBG transcriptio...

The 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) enzyme is a tissue specific regulator of glucocorticoid action that is linked to the development of osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis and myopathy. Systemic inhibition of 11β-HSD1 enzyme activity has been proposed as a therapeutic option in these conditions. However, 11β-HSD1 activity has also been reported to be important in regulation of the immune response and the HPA axis. We have previously demo...

Primary thyroid lymphoma is an uncommon malignancy; it accounts for <2% of all extranodal lymphomas and <5% of all thyroid malignancies.Case report: A 52-year-old male patient who was known to have a nodule in his thyroid gland for many years presented with instantaneous enlargement of his existing nodule and with appearance of ipsilateral cervical lymphadenopathy. On thyroid ultrasonography, a giant nodule of 38.4×31.6×45.5 mm size, an...

Introduction: The incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) during pregnancy is quite low. There have been a few anecdotal reports of NHL that arises from the thyroid gland.Case Report: A 28-year-old female patient presented with a neck swelling, pain and respiratory distress while she was in the 17th week of her first pregnancy. Subtotal thyroidectomy was performed and combined histological and immunohistochemical analyses led to the diagnosis of diffuse ...

Introduction: In April 2019 a team of healthcare professionals took a group of young people with type 1 Diabetes to Botswana for a healthcare partnership project with Diabetes Botswana. The trip included a joint diabetes youth camp and the delivery of Botswana’s first ever Diabetes Educational Symposium.Objectives: The primary aim of the project was to provide a reciprocal learning experience for the management of type 1 diabetes for healthcare prof...

Oestrogens have important modulatory effects on the skin and the hair follicle. Although they inhibit hair growth in animal models, their effect on human hair growth is less clear. Therefore, we have investigated the effect of oestrogenic compounds on human hair growth in vitro using a whole follicle assay system.Individual microdissected hair follicles from female temporal/occipital scalp (n=6, age range 49–69 mean age 54.67yrs) were incuba...

A number of tissues have been identified as non-classical targets of oestrogen action. Oestrogen can significantly influence the hair cycle and the human hair follicle provides an accessible tissue to investigate mesenchymal:epithelial interactions in vitro. Recently, oestrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and beta (ERbeta) have been identified in human hair follicle cells. Although human hair follicles vary significantly with body site, non-balding scalp follicles have not been r...

Cessation of hGH in GH deficient children generally occurs when final adult height has been obtained.Commonly, transition to adult clinics occurs in late teenage years,a time when patients are studying for A-levels, entering higher education or full time employment. It had been noticed that some patients were not doing as well in these areas as had been expected but that when adult hGH was commenced their performance improved.The aim of this audit was to try and investigate wh...

Case History: A 52 year old man presented in 2009 with a gradual loss of peripheral vision associated with headaches. Examination confirmed bi-temporal hemianopia. Further investigation revealed elevated prolactin levels and pituitary MRI showed evidence of large pituitary tumour. A diagnosis of macroprolactinoma was made and cabergoline was commenced. Given resistance to medical treatment, the patient required two surgical resections (2011 and 2013) and radical radiotherapy (...

A counter-regulatory rise in GC levels is important to the inflammatory response, that when impaired is associated with high mortality in inflammatory states. 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) regenerate’s intracellular glucocorticoids (GC), amplifying their actions, and has been postulated to play a role in the development of inflammation-associated arthritis, obesity and myopathy. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. TNF-α) increase expressio...