Endocrine Abstracts

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) using genetically encoded biosensors has proven to be a powerful technique to monitor the spatiotemporal dynamics of cAMP signals stimulated by Gs-coupled receptors in living cells. In contrast, real-time imaging of Gi-mediated cAMP signals under native conditions remains challenging. Here, we describe the use of transgenic mice ubiquitously expressing the highly sensitive cAMP sensor Epac1-camps for cAMP imaging in living pituitar...

The clinical response to somatostatin analogue (SMS) treatment in acromegaly is highly variable. In unselected, previously untreated patients, biochemical control is achieved in 20–50% of patients, and mean overall tumour shrinkage has been reported to 25–40%.The somatostatin analogues exert their effects through binding to the somatostatin receptor (SSTR) localized in the cell membrane. The available analogues bind with high affinity to SSTR2,...

The G protein-coupled (GPCR) somatostatin receptor sst2 transduces the majority of somatostatin actions, including inhibition of hormone and growth factor secretion, cell survival and angiogenesis. Sst2 agonists such as octreotide are widely used for the treatment and diagnostic of human neuroendocrine tumors that frequently over-express sst2. To initiate its inhibitory signalling pathways, sst2 engages, in addition to G protein subunits, different protein partners such as pho...