Endocrine Abstracts

Steroid testing has a central role in clinical decision-making and in research studies on diseases such as hypercortisolisms, female hyperandrogenism, male hypogonadism or inborn disorders of steroid synthesis. Recently, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) proved its superiority to routine immunoassays (IA) in accurately and sensitively measuring low level steroids. However, the replacement of automated IA with LC–MS/MS platforms is limited...

Multiple pituitary hormone deficit and hypothalamic obesity are common complications after brain surgery for childhood tumors. Despite adequate replacement hormone therapy, obesity develops equally, but liver failure is not usually described. In this study, four subjects who had undergone surgery for brain tumors involving the peri-hypothalamic area when they were nursing or as youths (9 months, 6 years, 9 years and 20 years). They were referred to our Unit when they were 19, ...

The hormone assessment in saliva is emerging as a new valuable tool for clinical and research purposes. Salivary levels are supposed to reflect the free fraction of circulating steroids, thus representing a more informative indicator of their activity. Moreover, saliva collection is not stressful and does not require medical assistance, allowing reliable and multiple sampling in a day. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) technology offers high s...

Obesity is characterized by hyperactivated endocannabinoid System (ECS) in brain and periphery and by increased levels of circulating endocannabinoids (cECs), anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2AG). It is still debated whether in absence of obesity cECs are only modulated by adiposity or if they are associated with cardiometabolic parameters.We recruited 155 healthy normal weight (NW, BMI: 18.5–24.9 kg/m2) drug-free volunteers ...

Background: Subclinical Cushing’s syndrome (SCS) is defined as alterations in hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis without classic signs or symptoms of glucocorticoid excess. This condition has been associated to increased risk of adverse metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes, independently of other potential risk factors. However, is still not known if this condition could lead to a higher mortality respect to non-secreting adrenal masses (NSA).<p class="abs...

Aims: SC can be discovered in 5–20% of the incidentalomas. Subclinical secretion is defined by the failure to suppress plasma cortisol after 1 mg-overnight dexamethasone <50 nmol/l, but there is no agreement in literature. The aim of our study was to evaluate cortisol response to oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) as potential marker of autonomous activity of these adenomas.Methods: Ninety subjects, 47 females and 43 males, underwent the protoco...

Aim: ACC is an extremely rare heterogeneous aggressive disease. Clinical presentation are various. The prognosis is very poor. There are limited data to define prognostic markers for survival beyond stage.The aim of this study is to describe the experience of our institution with patients affected by ACC.Material and methods: This study was performed on 13 patients aged between 26 and 76 years, from 1992 to 2009 who turned to our I...

Visceral fat (VAT) may represent the more important site of endocannabinoid dysregulation in obesity. No data are available on the expression of the ECs in morbid obesity. Eleven morbidly obese women, who underwent bariatric surgery, were enrolled and paired samples of VAT and subcutaneous fat tissue (SAT) were obtained from each patient. Real-Time PCR for the gene expression levels of cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor, N-acyl-phosphatidil-ethanolamine (NAPE), and fatty...

It is well known that cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1) antagonist drugs may reduce body weight and improve metabolic profiles in obese animals and humans by a double mechanism: at first, targeting mesolimbic and hypothalamic nuclei and, thereafter, peripheral organs involved in energy storage and expenditure. However, it is still unknown which of these sites of action may have a predominant role in the endocannabinoid effect on energy balance regulation. To solve this questio...

The endocannabinoid system has recently emerged as an important modulator of several functions of adipose tissue by altering cell proliferation and gene expression. In this work, we investigated the effects of CB1 activation/blockade in mouse 3T3-L1 adypocite cells by using WIN55,212, a CB1/CB2 agonist and rimonabant, a specific CB1 antagonist, in different experimental settings such as acute treatment on pre-adipocytes and on mature adipocytes, and chronic treatment during di...