Endocrine Abstracts

Through activation of the HPA axis, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), the 41-amino acid hypothalamic peptide, plays a fundamental role in mammalian survival and response to stressful stimuli. CRH belongs to a family of stress-related peptides that includes urocortins (UCNs) that have been linked with many pathophysiological effects. Their actions are mediated via activation of two types of CRH receptors (CRH-R1 and R2) that exhibit distinct pharmacology and functional pro...

Adipose tissue is central to the control of energy and glucose homeostasis. Modulation of corticosteroid action in adipose tissue represents a potent mechanism to alter this homeostasis. Corticosteroid hormone action in adipocytes has long been considered to be mediated by glucocorticoid receptors (GR). We and others have recently identified the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) as a new target to modulate adipocyte function. The generation of homo- and heterodimers of the GR an...

Binding of the gastric hormone ghrelin to its cognate receptor, GHS-R1a, is dependent upon the acylation of its third (serine) residue. Although acute exposure to ghrelin stimulates the secretion of growth hormone (a potent lipolytic signal), chronic exposure to ghrelin promotes fat deposition1.We have shown that in intra-abdominal depots, ghrelin-induced fat accumulation is depot-specific, time-dependent, due to lipid accumulation ...

Adiponectin is a major insulin sensitizing hormone, which activates AMP kinase and PPARα pathways to facilitate glucose and lipid metabolism to increase insulin sensitivity. Decreased plasma adiponectin linked to obesity is causally involved in insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in obesity. Moreover, decreased plasma adiponectin is causally involved in atherosclerosis. In fact, decreased plasma adiponectin levels have been shown to be associated with future develop...