Endocrine Abstracts

Background: According to the literature, glucocorticoid receptor (GR) function is modulated by phosphorylation. Retinoic acid (RA) can activate some cytoplasmic kinases able to phosphorylate GR.Aim: As RA and glucocorticoids interact in neuronal cells, we investigated whether RA could modulate GR phosphorylation in such cells.Methods: HT-22 hippocampal cells were cultured 4d with or without dexamethasone (Dex, 10-6 M) or RA (10-6 M...

GLP-1 is a gut hormones with insulinotropic effects. GLP-1 is expressed at the hypothalamus having regulatory functions in food intake and neuroendocrine corticoadrenal axis (HPA). Energy balance and HPA have deep influence in the gonadal function of mammals. Exendin-4 (Ex4) is a potent agonist for the GLP-1 receptor.Objectives: To evaluate the effects of native GLP-1 (7–36)-NH2(GLP-1) and Ex4 in the function of the reproductive system in adulthood ...

Background: The mechanisms underlying the association between severe hypoglycaemia and increased cardiovascular mortality among patients with diabetes mellitus are not fully understood. Our aim was to evaluate changes in GH/IGF1 axis during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, as a possible link.Methods: Twenty-five healthy subjects, 12 obese participants (OP; 6/ 6; 34.4±1.7 kg/m2), and 13 healthy lean participants (LP; 6/ 7; 21.7±0.6 kg/m...

Background: Exertional heat illness (EHI) is an incapacitating and sometimes fatal phenomenon. It is associated with elevated core temperature (Tc), cardiovascular instability and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. EHI-preventive guidelines recommend maintaining Tc ≤38 °C, an important thermoregulatory threshold above which vasomotor compensation plateaus and pronounced excursions in key pituitary and adrenal hormones occur. Copeptin, the C-terminal part o...

Introduction/objective: Elderly patients have a higher prevalence of hypernatremia. Previous studies suggested that impaired ADH secretion contributes to development of hypernatremia in the elderly. Copeptin is the C terminal part of the ADH precursor and is more stable in plasma than ADH. The aim of this study was to detect demographic and clinical characteristics of the elderly hypernatremic patient hospitalized in the internal medicine ward, and to increase the understandin...

Introduction: Fluid restriction (FR) is often the recommended first-line treatment for hyponatremia due to the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD). However, FR not always leads to successful correction of hyponatremia, making predictive markers of treatment response desirable. The aim of this study was to evaluate routinely measured laboratory parameters, copeptin and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (pro-ANP) as possible predictors of treatment success to FR.<p cl...

Introduction: The natural history of adipsic diabetes insipidus (ADI) is not completely understood. Isolated case reports suggest occasional recovery of adipsia. We present the follow up of a cohort of 12 patients with ADI.Setting: National pituitary unit with interest in diabetes insipidus.Methods: ADI was identified by demonstrating absent thirst and AVP responses to hypertonic saline infusion. Results 12 patients with ADI were i...

Introduction: Hyponatraemia is the commonest electrolyte disorder in clinical practice and is closely associated with increased morbidity, mortality and length of hospital stay. It can be classified into mild (124–134 mmol/l), moderate (115–124 mmol/l), and severe (<115 mmol/l). The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence, aetiology, and management of hyponatraemia in general hospital.Methods: A total of 4139 acute medical admissio...

Chimeric somatostatin (SST)/dopamine (DA) compounds, termed dopastatins, such as BIM-23A760, an agonist for SST (sst2 and ss5) and DA (D2) receptors, are emerging as promising new approaches to treat pituitary adenomas. However, their actions and mechanisms on the different types of pituitary tumours are still incompletely understood. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyse a set of key functional parameters (signaling pathways, hormonal expression and secretion, cell viabi...