Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Retroperitoneal Schwannomas are rare and generally benign tumors originating from the neural sheath. In particular, juxta-adrenal schwannomas may be misdiagnosed as adrenal tumors due to their location and radiological characteristics.Case Presentation: A 40-year-old female patient referred to our outpatient clinic owing to a left suprarenal mass of 35 mm incidentally discovered in an enhanced CT. She was asymptomatic and the clinical examina...

The relation between testosterone (T) production and action is complex, involving protein binding in the circulation affecting clearance and tissue availability, T production from precursors in peripheral tissues, deactivating and activating (to dihydrotestosterone and estradiol) metabolism within target tissues, besides factors affecting androgen responsiveness (receptor concentrations, cofactors, genetics,…). Yet, in absence of a useful independent marker of androgen a...

The relation between testosterone (T) production and action is complex, involving protein binding in the circulation affecting clearance and tissue availability, T production from precursors in peripheral tissues, deactivating and activating (to dihydrotestosterone and estradiol) metabolism within target tissues, besides factors affecting androgen responsiveness (receptor concentrations, cofactors, genetics,…). Yet, in absence of a useful independent marker of androgen a...

Thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) have a major role in brain development, and their deficits during critical stages during the fetal and neonatal periods may cause profound intellectual and neuromotor deficits. A particular example is the X-linked Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome, caused by mutations of the cellular transporter for thyroid hormone MCT8 (SLC16A2). In this presentation I will first review the pathophysiology of thyroid hormone transport and metabol...

Vitamin D has been shown not only to be important for bone and calcium metabolism but also for homeostasis of critical tissues involved in vascular disease. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) and the 1a-hydroxylase enzyme are present in critical cells implicated in the development of vascular disease. Vitamin D influences multiple mechanisms to decrease vascular inflammation: it suppresses the renin-angiotensin system, promotes endothelial nitric oxide release, decreases vascular in...

Intrauterine prostaglandin (PG) synthesis and release are key components of human labour at term and pre-term, resulting in synchronised membrane rupture, cervical dilation and myometrial contractility. A key mediator of uterine PG production is the highly inducible enzyme cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2 or PTGS2). Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is released by the foetus during pregnancy and amniotic fluid levels rise rapidly during late gestation, moreover EGF stimulates expression of ...

Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis hormone (SIADH) with many disorders of the nervous system have been reported frequently but its association with multiple sclerosis (MS) is extremely rare (only six cases reported in the literature).A 46 years old woman was admitted to our hospital because of hypersomnolence, confusion and visual disturbances. She presented 6 months before a variety of neurological symptoms suggestive of demyelinating disease withou...

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus are critical regulators of appetite, energy expenditure and glucose metabolism. POMC neurons are able to sense circulating hormones and nutrients informing about the energy status of the organism. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying nutrient-sensing in POMC neurons remain incompletely understood. Mitochondria are key organelles implicated in cellular nutrient/energy management and are...

Aldosterone exerts numerous pleiotropic functions, notably in the kidney where it controls hydroelectrolytic homeostasis and ultimately blood pressure. Aldosterone acts by activating the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), a transcription factor that regulates target gene expression. Alteration of the mineralocorticoid signaling leads to various diseases including hypertension, cardiovascular, renal, metabolic or CNS disorders.Aldosterone mechanism of actio...

PGE2 stimulates progesterone synthesis in the primate corpus luteum, apparently via cAMP. Human GL cells express functional EP1 and EP2 receptors via which PGE2 elevates the intracellular calcium and cAMP concentrations respectively (Harris et al, 2001, BBRC 285:1089). In the present study, we have determined the involvement of EP1 and EP2 receptors in the stimulation of cAMP accumulation and progesterone synthesis in these human ovarian cel...