Endocrine Abstracts

Background and Aims: to study the clinical significance of the s E- selectin (CD 62) in the serum of patients with Type 1 Diabetes and Microangiopathy (diabetic nephropathy (DN) and retinopathy (DR).Materials and Methods: 32 patients (14 men & 18 women, age mediana 26,4 years) were under supervision in the period from 1999 to 2001 years. The cohort examined was subdivided into 3 groups:1. with newly diagnosed diabetes (n = 11) ...

Background: The growth hormone/ insulin-like growth factor-1 (GH/IGF-1) axis has been increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. We have recently demonstrated the local expression of both GH and IGF-I in normal and malignant breast tissue. However, the regulation of this local GH/IGF-1 expression is unknown. Aims: (i) To quantify the mRNA levels of GHRH, ghrelin and their receptors in malignant and adjacent normal breast tissue, and (ii) to determine any cor...

BACKGROUND: Antiangiogenic effects have been demonstrated with currently available somatostatin analogues. The mechanism remains unclear, although some studies suggest inhibition of the pro-angiogenic tumour vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production.OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pre-operative Lanreotide (LAN) in patients with acromegaly influences circulating VEGF.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum samples from six acromegal...

IntroductionLeukocyte recruitment is a key feature in (I/R)-induced tissue injury. We have developed and validated a novel method to study molecular mechanisms of leukocyte-endothelium interactions in the colonic microcirculation in vivo by use of inverted intravital fluorescence microscopy.Methods & ResultsIn male C57/BL6 mice the superior mesenteric artery was occluded 30 min and leukocyte rolling and ...

The cytokine IL-6 is synthesed and released by over half of surgically removed human pituitary adenomas and by the HP75 human pituitary tumour cell line. We have previously shown that IL6 is associated with tumour invasiveness but not with Ki67, a marker of cell proliferation. Membrane IL6R (mIL6R) has been demonstrated in some pituitary adenomas, however, we have shown that sIL6R is not shed by the majority (92%) of human pituitary adenomas in culture nor by HP75 cells(super)...

Leptin is known to be produced by human pituitary adenomas, and inhibits the proliferation of HP75 cells in vitro. The HP75 cell line is derived from gonadotroph tumour cells from a clinically non-functioning human pituitary adenoma transfected with SV40. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of interleukins (IL) IL1-alpha and IL-6 on growth of HP75 cells and their effects on the growth inhibitory actions of leptin.HP75 cells were plated in 2...

Background: Leptin is a multi-functional hormone of which low levels are associated with immuno-deficiency. We and others have shown that leptin promotes secretion of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha and IL-6) by monocytes (1) and activated lymphocytes (2). The leptin receptor (Ob-R) is expressed on neutrophils and leptin enhances oxidative species production by stimulated neutrophils.Aim: To access whether CD11b expression on human neutrophils is a di...

Cutaneous injury triggers a complex series of biological processes which lead to tissue repair and comprise the mechanism termed wound healing. Various growth factors and cytokines are involved in the multiple stages of wound healing. Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is secreted by skin fibroblasts and acts locally to induce cell proliferation. During wound healing KGF's role is as a re-epithelialising agent working in conjunction with pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interl...

Growth hormone (GH) deficiency is associated with insulin insensitivity, abnormalities of endothelial function and increased cardiovascular mortality. Hyperhomocysteinaemia is also associated with impaired endothelial function, and it has been established as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. GH treatment improves lipid profile and endothelial function, but it is not known whether it can affect homocysteine levels.Material & Methods: Twenty-t...

Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide directly stimulates Cortisol Secretion by Human Adrenal CellsK. Vakharia, D Renshaw, J.P. HinsonDepartment of Endocrinology, Division of General and Developmental Medicine, Barts and the London, Queen Mary School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK.Adrenomedullin (ADM) is a potent vasorelaxant peptide recently identified in extracts of pheochromocytoma. Proadrenomedullin, a pre...

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) is an important signal for mammary gland development and epithelial cell survival. Following lactation, the mammary gland undergoes involution through extensive epithelial cell apoptosis and thus, the IGF-I survival signal must be inhibited. IGF actions are regulated by association with high affinity binding proteins (IGFBPs) and the aim of this study was to investigate the expression of IGFBPs during mouse mammary gland development to determ...