Endocrine Abstracts

Previous studies have demonstrated over-expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme and enhanced synthesis of prostanoids, such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), in cervical carcinomas. PGE2 mediates its is effects by interacting with one of four receptors termed EP1-4. Expression and signalling of EP receptors, including EP4, are elevated in cervical carcinomas. We have previously proposed that in addition to endogenous PGE2, EP recepto...

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their binding proteins (IGFBPs) have important metabolic roles in the human body. IGFBP-3 (40 and 45 kD glycoforms) is the most abundant in serum, whereas IGFBP-2 (34 kD) and IGFBP-1 (29 kD) are present at lower concentrations.Most inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are characterised by a cytokine- mediated inflammatory reaction, malnutrition and catabolism. The aim of this work was to detect possib...

Exercise is a potent stimulus for growth hormone (GH) release and a single 30 s sprint elicits a marked increase in circulating GH. However, the mechanisms regulating GH release during and after exercise are not fully understood (1). The aim of the present study was to determine whether age, body composition, the metabolic response to or performance during a single 30 s sprint are predictors of the GH response in young men.Following local Ethics Committe...

Ghrelin is a potent growth hormone (GH) secretagogue in rats and in humans. Since stomach is the main source of circulating ghrelin, gastrectomy reduces plasma ghrelin concentrations by 65%. The implications of decreased circulating ghrelin on GH secretion have not yet been investigated. Furthermore, the neuroendocrine pathways through which ghrelin acts to release GH are largely unknown. We aimed to investigate GH response after insulin induced hypoglycemia (ITT) and after sy...

IGF-II and I are key components of postnatal growth and are involved in the proliferation of adipocytes. Cold exposure by winter shearing has been shown to promote growth and development and is dependant upon maternal nutrition. However, the effects on adipose IGF-I and II mRNA have not yet been determined.Thirty-three multiparous ewes of similar body weight were entered into the study, fifteen were shorn (S) during mid gestation and eighteen left unshor...

Use of somatostatin (SRIF) analogs in acromegaly indicates greater lowering of IGF-I than predicted from GH reduction. Studies using hypophysectomized rats suggest a direct SRIF action on GH-induced IGF-I, however, interpretation is complicated by effects of SRIF on other hormonal axes. In isolated rat hepatocytes we showed SRIF and octreotide to have a direct inhibitory effect, via hepatic SSTRs, on GH-induced IGF-I production. GH (500 ng/ml) caused ~4 fold induction of IGF-I...

IGF-I is a marker of activity of the growth axis. It is accepted that the interpretation of IGF-I values requires age- and gender-specific reference ranges (RR).We have studied IGF-I assay performance by circulating 2 blood samples with different clinical scenarios to 23 centers [IDS-OCTEIA (n=2), DPC-Immulite (3), DPC-Immulite 2000 (4), in-house RIA (1), Nichols-Advantage (10) and Nichols-IRMA (3)] participating in the UK-NEQAS IGF-I scheme. Participant...

Gene delivery to the CNS is undermined by the lack of suitable vectors capable of delivering genes with sufficient specificity, efficacy and safety. In previous studies we have shown that bacteriophage particles, which lack tropism for mammalian cells, can be genetically modified to display specific ligands that allow binding, internalisation and cell transduction of receptor-bearing target cells. Moreover, phage particles can be forced to evolve using combinatorial techniques...