Endocrine Abstracts

Glucocorticoids (GCs) play a fundamental role in the endocrinology of pregnancy but excess GC in utero may lead to IUGR. Protection against fetal exposure to GCs is provided by the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (11beta-HSD2) located in the placental trophoblast. By contrast, relatively little is known concerning the function of GC-activating 11beta-HSD1 which is expressed within maternal decidua. We have used human deciduas (n=32 first, n=10 second and n=...

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is the crucial androgen precursor and hyperandrogenaemia is a major feature in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) is generated from DHEA by DHEA sulfotransferase (SULT2A1) activity. The conversion of DHEAS to DHEA by steroid sulfatase has been reported to be of minor significance in human adults and only desulfated DHEA can be converted toward androgens. Therefore, SULT2A1 activity represents the rate-limiting step regulating t...

IntroductionBased upon epidemiological evidence linking hyperthyroidism, inflammation of the ovarian surface and increased risk of ovarian cancer development, we have studied thyroid receptor expression in human ovarian surface epithelial cells (hOSE), and examined the possibility that triiodothyronine (T3) may have direct effects on hOSE cells, the origin of the vast majority of ovarian tumours.MethodsHuman ...

Pituitary gonadotropes (LH and FSH producing cells) are simultaneously exposed to numerous stimuli, which exert multiple signalling pathways that cross-talk with the GnRH receptor (GnRHR). A model downstream effector system is the prostanoid family. Hence, prostanoid receptors and GnRHR might cross-talk and affect the biological responses of the gonadotropes. Here we report the expression of prostaglandin (PG) PGE2 receptors EP1, EP2, EP3 and EP4, the PGF2</sub...

We have recently identified inactivating mutations in the electron donor enzyme P450 oxidoreductase as the cause of disease in patients with apparent combined P450c17 and P450c21 deficiency, a variant of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) (1). Additionally, we suggested that P450 oxidoreductase deficiency (ORD) reveals the existence of an alternative pathway in human androgen synthesis present in fetal life only, explaining the concurrent presence of low circulating androgen...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest cause of anovulatory infertility; anovulation in PCOS is characterised by arrest of antral follicle growth that may reflect the abnormal endocrine environment. However, it has recently been shown that preantral follicle development is also abnormal in PCO (Webber et al, Lancet 2003, 362 1017). In that study, the proportion of follicles in the primordial, resting, phase, was reduced, compared to normal ovaries, in tissue from bo...

GH deficiency is believed to adversely impair skeletal health. In this study bone mass and architecture was assessed using DXA & pQCT. 30 GHD adults (peak GH to stimulation 0.33 to 2.4 mcg/l), 24 GHI adults (peak GH 1.6 to 6.7 mcg/l), and 30 controls comprised the study population.BMD (areal and volumetric), bone size, and architecture, were not significantly different from those of control subjects in either the GHD or GHI, AO groups. CO GHD adults ...

T3 is essential for skeletal development and its actions are mediated by two nuclear receptors (TRs), with TR alpha (TRa) being functionally predominant in bone. The TRa1 isoform binds T3 with high affinity and activates target gene expression in response to hormone. TRa2, however, does not bind T3 or regulate transcription in response to hormone. Intriguingly, TRa2 is expressed at high levels from early in development in all tissues and is conserved in all mammals, although i...