Endocrine Abstracts

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the largest families of the mammalian genome and represent the single most common therapeutic target. The glycoprotein hormones; LH and human chorionic gonadotrophin, act at a single GPCR the LH/hCGR, whose roles in reproductive function and pregnancy are well known. Endocytic trafficking of GPCRs represents a key mechanism in defining cellular responses in complex signaling pathways by controlling both the temporal and spatial pa...

The gonadotrophin receptors, LH receptor (LHR) and FSHR are G-protein coupled receptors, vital in mediating reproductive functions. During the follicular phase of the ovarian cycle, FSHR and LHR are separately localised to discrete cellular compartments, granulosa and theca cells respectively, where they control steroidogenesis and follicle maturation. However, as the follicle develops, LHR expression is induced in granulosa cells, resulting in co-expression of FSHR and LHR in...

Accepted dogma once stated that G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) function as monomers, however, over the last decade in vitro experiments have shown GPCRs to function as dimers and higher order oligomers. We have recently reported the first in vivo evidence for the physiological importance of Class A GPCR homodimerisation using the LHCGR as a model receptor. Transgenic co-expression of binding deficient LHCGR (LHCGR-LH) and signalling deficient ...

Background: By providing a non-invasive, functional insight into brain chemistry, MRS has the potential to provide objective longitudinal data on mammalian brain development.Aims: To assess the sexual dimorphism in rodent brain chemistry and development using in vivo MRS.Methods: 26 (19 males) Sprague–Dawley rats were scanned at 6 weeks and 12 male rats at 10 weeks using a 7T MRI scanner. Testosterone concentrations w...

Reproductive disorders in males that manifest at birth (cryptorchidism, hypospadias), or young adulthood (low sperm count, lower testosterone levels, testicular cancer) may share a common origin and constitute a ‘testicular dysgenesis syndrome’ (TDS). Normal reproductive tract development is programmed by androgens within the ‘masculinisation programming window’ (MPW, e15.5–e18.5-rats; ~8–14 weeks’ gestation-humans). In rats, TDS disorders ca...

Follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) is an endogenous glycoprotein inhibitor of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) ligands such as activin. TGFβ ligands are integral to key cellular processes such as proliferation, development and differentiation, including angiogenesis. It is not clear, however, how FSTL3 and activin action affect tissue and organ functions in health and disease. We have identified a group of activin-responsive genes that have an expression pattern clos...

Glucocorticoid signalling is essential during embryonic lung development, with both the global and epithelial glucocorticoid receptor (GR) null mice presenting with lung atelectasis and post natal lethality. In this study, we examined the role of glucocorticoid signalling within mesenchymal tissues. To study the role of the GR in mesenchymal tissues during embryogenesis we crossed GRflox mice with Dermo1-Cre mice to generate GRDermo1 mice, where the GR gene was cond...

Adiponectin, an exclusive adipose-derived hormone, circulates at high concentration, and exerts metabolic effects. Adiponectin levels in the circulation correlate negatively with BMI, and low adiponectin concentrations are associated with the low grade inflammation and metabolic dysfunction that accompanies obesity. Adiponectin has been reported to have potent anti-inflammatory activities, and to exert these effects by regulating macrophage function. The mechanism of adiponect...