Endocrine Abstracts

Genetic variants consistently associated with the development of Graves’ disease (GD) have, to date, been general autoimmunity loci including those within the HLA region, the CTLA-4 gene and most recently the PTPN22 gene encoding lymphoid tyrosine phosphatase (LYP). The thyrotophin receptor gene (TSHR) has recently however, been identified as the first Graves’ disease specific susceptibility locus. To further refine association with disease and exclude populat...

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) has been reported as a potent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, independent of cholesterol levels. Endothelial dysfunction, which is the earliest manifestation of atherosclerosis, may account for some of this cardiovascular risk. It has never been studied in a randomised controlled manner whether L-thyroxine therapy improves endothelial function.Methods: 100 patients with SCH (mean TSH of 6.6 mIU/L and n...

Objective: To describe the mortality and vascular morbidity in patients after treatment for hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.Method: We constructed an electronic database using record linkage of a community thyroid follow-up register, radioiodine database, regional biochemistry, regional prescribing database, hospital admissions and regional death certification. This was made possible by a unique patient identifier used locally for all healthcare episo...

Background: Thyrotropin-secreting pituitary adenomas (TSH-omas) account for 1% of pituitary tumours. In addition to TSH, these tumours frequently secrete glycoprotein α-subunit (αSU) and up to 50% are immunoreactive for growth hormone (GH), although GH suppression following oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) has not been routinely performed in all patients to identify subclinical GH hypersecretion or abnormal GH suppression.Objectives: To ex...

Background: Dopamine agonists may act on prolactinoma size and secretion through additional effects on adenoma vascularity which can be visualised using Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI). To investigate this 23 subjects, 5 with macroprolactinomas (prolactin (PRL) range 14631-500000mU/L), 11 with microprolactinomas (PRL range 621-4777mU/L), 7 individuals with non-lesion hyperprolactinemia and 15 normal volunteers, including 5 females on oral contrac...

Background: Measurement of mean serum growth hormone (GH) during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is currently used for determination of disease activity in patients with acromegaly post-treatment. In contrast to normal subjects, GH secretion in acromegalic patients is largely non-pulsatile, even after treatment.Aim: To determine if random serum GH correlated with mean serum GH during OGTT in patients with acromegaly post-treatment. Furthermore, we ...

The secretion of prolactin is sexually dimorphic and sensitive to changes in gonadal steroid and glucocorticoid status. Reports that the regulatory effects of glucocorticoids on prolactin release are mediated in part via annexin I (ANXA1, 1), have led us to compare prolactin secretion in ANXA1 knockout (KO) and wildtype (WT) mice and to determine the effects ovariectomy and oestrogen replacement (80 nanograms/0.1 ml, s.c./day) on (a) the plasma prolactin concentration (radioim...

The nuclear receptors, NR5A1 (SF-1), NR5A2 (LRH-1) and NR0B1 (DAX-1), are key regulators of gene expression and development in endocrine tissues. NR5A1 regulates endocrine development and function, and is an important regulator of gene expression in pituitary gonadotrophs. In contrast, little is known regarding the role of NR5A2 in pituitary function. Using a range of anterior pituitary-derived cell lines and primary rat pituitaries, we have investigated the expression and act...