Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
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Society for Endocrinology BES 2017

Harrogate, UK
06 Nov 2017 - 08 Nov 2017

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SfE BES 2017 will be on the 6-8 November 2016 in Harrogate, UK.

Oral Communications

Reproduction and Neuroendocrinology

ea0050oc5.1 | Reproduction and Neuroendocrinology | SFEBES2017

Increased sertoli cell proliferation and sperm production in FSTL3 deleted mice

Mejia Randy Ballesteros , Mukherjee Abir

Male problems such as oligospermia, azoospermia among others, affect around 30% of infertile couples. Male fecundity relies on the production of large numbers of spermatozoa which is dependent on the number of Sertoli cells. Activin and related TGFβ family ligands regulate testicular development and function. Follistatin Like-3 (FSTL3) is a glycoprotein that binds and inhibits activin. FSTL3 deletion in mice leads to increased adult testicular size with concurrent increas...

ea0050oc5.2 | Reproduction and Neuroendocrinology | SFEBES2017

Kisspeptin modulates resting brain activity to alter responses to negative stimuli in humans

Comninos Alexander , Demetriou Lysia , Wall Matt , Shah Amar , Clarke Sophie , Narayanaswamy Shakunthala , Nesbitt Alexander , Izzi-Engbeaya Chioma , Prague Julia , Abbara Ali , Ratnasabapathy Risheka , Yang Lisa , Salem Victoria , Nijher Monica , Jayasena Channa , Tanner Mark , Bassett Paul , Mehta Amrish , Rabiner Ilan , Bloom Stephen , Dhillo Waljit

Kisspeptin is a crucial activator of reproductive function, stimulating GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus. However, kisspeptin and its receptor are also expressed in other brain regions including the limbic system, which has key roles in emotional processing. Kisspeptin signalling in the limbic system modulates emotional and sexual brain processing during tasks, however the effects of kisspeptin on underlying resting brain activity have not yet been studied. This is vital for o...

ea0050oc5.3 | Reproduction and Neuroendocrinology | SFEBES2017

Decoding the functional significance of follicle stimulating hormone glycosylation variants

Colley Emily , Wakefield Baylee , Bousfield George , Jonas Kim

FSH and its G protein-coupled receptor (FSHR) are essential for the coordination of reproductive functions. As such, they are a primary target of most assisted reproductive technologies, thus understanding the physiology regulating their function is paramount. Two naturally occurring glycoforms of FSH have been identified-hyperglycosylated FSH (FSH24) and hypoglycosylated FSH (FSH21), based on their ASN glycosylation pattern. The secretion of FSH21 and FSH24 has been shown to ...

ea0050oc5.4 | Reproduction and Neuroendocrinology | SFEBES2017

Reactive oxygen species as a novel metabolic pathway for sperm DNA damage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Radia Utsav K , Jayasena Channa N , Figueiredo Monica , Revill Larissa Franklin , Dimakopoulou Anastasia , Osagie Maria , Vessey Wayne , Regan Lesley , Rai Rajendra , Dhillo Waljit S

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) affects 1–2% couples, and is defined as ≧3 consecutive pregnancy losses before 20-weeks’ gestation. RPL is caused by foetal chromosomal abnormalities, or maternal factors such as thrombophilia. It was recently reported that men with RPL have high levels of sperm DNA fragmentation (a marker of infertility); however, the cause of this damage is currently not known. Seminal plasma has high levels of granulocyte-derived o...

ea0050oc5.5 | Reproduction and Neuroendocrinology | SFEBES2017

Vitamin-D and fetomaternal immunity: next generation RNA sequence analysis reveals unique effects upon uterine natural killer cells

Tamblyn Jennifer , Jeffery Louisa , Susarla Radhika , Knoblich Konstantin , Fletcher Anne , Kilby Mark , Hewison Martin

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in pregnant women and associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including pre-eclampsia. Active vitamin-D (1,25(OH)2D3) exerts important non-classical immune-regulatory effects, and the maternal placenta (decidua) appears a key target. Uterine natural killer cells (uNKs) are the most prominent decidual immune cell during early pregnancy. Given their critical role in fetal implantation and placentation, we hypothesised uNKs are a local source...

ea0050oc5.6 | Reproduction and Neuroendocrinology | SFEBES2017

The MAPK effector B-Raf is essential for hypothalamic–pituitary axis development and activating mutations in BRAF cause congenital hypopituitarism

Kyprianou Nikolina , Gregory Louise , Lillina Vignola Maria , Besser Rachel , Marinelli Eugenia , Gualtieri Angelica , Scagliotti Valeria , Davis Shannon , Gevers Evelien , Dattani Mehul , Gaston-Massuet Carles

Somatic activating mutations in BRAF, encoding B-Raf, have been described in tumours and recently craniopharyngiomas. Germline mutations in BRAF and other components of the RAS/MAPK pathway are found in RASopathies, whose features include endocrine deficiencies but not craniopharyngiomas. We report three BRAF mutations (two of which are novel) in four children with congenital hypopituitarism. To demonstrate the functional role of the three variants w...