Endocrine Abstracts

The mTOR and IGF pathways have been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of pheochromocytomas (PCC). mTOR inhibitors, as sirolimus (S) and everolimus (E), as well as IGF1R antagonists could be a potential novel treatment for malignant PPC.The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of the main components of the IGF/mTOR pathway in human PCC and to investigate the effects of the mTOR inhibitors S and E and of the IGF1R/insulin receptor (I...

Objective: The soluble leptin receptor (sOb-R) is generated by ectodomain shedding of the membrane-associated Ob-R and may modulate leptin action in metabolic dysregulations. The objective of our study was to investigate whether or not sOb-R generation may be induced by indicators of energy availability or metabolic regulators in a cell model.Material and methods: The four human Ob-R isoforms were cloned, characterized by binding experiments with 125-iod...

Ghrelin, the natural ligand for the GHS-R, modulates proliferation in cell lines derived from malignant breast tissue. It has been suggested that this action is independent of the GHS-R. We have previously demonstrated that MCF7 cells expressed ghrelin but not GHS-R mRNA and MDA-MB231 cells expressed GHS-R but not ghrelin mRNA. To determine whether ghrelin modulates proliferation in MCF7 and MDA-MB231 cells we performed proliferation assays treating with saline, 1 and 10nM ghr...

Introduction: HIV-infected patients often display a moderate to severe GH deficiency (GHD). To investigate the effects of r-hGH on hormonal parameters and body composition in patients with HIV-related lipodystrophy (HIV-r-L) and concomitant GHD, we studied 60 patients with HIV-r-L, 28 male and 32 females aged 18–65 years. According to their response to GHRH+Arginine (GH peak assumed to be normal when >7.5 ng/ml) patients were assigned to the following 3 groups: Group ...

Background: Adult growth hormone (GH) deficiency (AGHD) is related with alterations in body composition, increased abdominal and visceral adiposity, adverse change in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and reduction of bone mineral density (BMD).Aim: To compare baseline outcomes concerning body composition and biochemical/hormonal data among adult patients with AGHD referring to a single endocrinological center and grouped according to their history of r...

Objectives: Eating disorders often co-occur with diabetes, and this comorbidity is associated with severe medical complications. The DEPS-R is a 16-item diabetes-specific self-report measure of disordered eating that can be completed in <10 min. The purpose of the study was to translate and validate the Russian version of the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey–Revised (DEPS-R).Methods: 372 patients with diabetes mellitus using insulin injections par...

Ghrelin is a novel growth hormone-releasing peptide, recently identified in the rat stomach as the endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue-receptor (GHS-R). Previously, regulation of GH release was thought to occur primarily via a phasic interaction between two hypothalamic neuropeptides, GHRH and somatostatin. It is now thought that ghrelin is an important third factor in the regulatory pathway. In addition to its GH-releasing activity ghrelin may have other act...

Background: 3-M syndrome is associated with severe proportionate pre- and postnatal growth restriction, and is caused by mutations in CUL7, OBSL1, or CCDC8 genes.Aims and methods: To define baseline growth and GH–IGF1 axis status as well as response to r-hGH in relation to mutation status in 3-M children, using retrospective analysis of data from clinical notes.Results: 50 individuals (19 CUL7, 19 <...

Background and aims: Non-adherence to daily subcutaneous GH (r-HGH) administration may account for discrepancies between dose prescription, growth response and serum IGF1 levels but is difficult to determine. The electronic r-HGH auto-injector Easypod device has the only inbuilt retrievable dosing record, with which we aimed to assess adherence.Method: Over a 4 month period, we retrospectively retrieved dose history data in 25 clinic patients aged 10&#15...

Nebido (testosterone undecanoate, 1000 mg) is a new, long acting, intramuscular (IM) preparation of testosterone (T) that can be administered every 10–14 weeks. We conducted a study to evaluate the factors that influence serum T levels after commencing Nebido and may therefore help clinicians estimate dosing frequency for this therapy.Following the recommended loading regimen, 51 hypogonadal men (35, 68.6% secondary hypogonadism) had two injections ...