Endocrine Abstracts

Atypical manifestations of hyperthyroidism include hematological, cardiovascular, dermatological manifestation. Especially single lineage abnormalities such as anemia (34%), leukopenia (5.8%), thrombocytopenia (3.3%) are reported, but pancytopenia is a rare presentation of hyperthyroidism. The suspected etiologic mechanisms include ineffective hematopoiesis, reduction in blood cell life span, autoimmune process, toxicity of thyroid hormone.We report a ca...

The class of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is comprised of both naturally occurring and man-made compounds which are structurally similar or distinct to estrogen, and can interfere with the actions of an endogenous steroid hormone via estrogen receptors (ERs). Octylphenol (OP) is alkyl phenol chemical, which is considered to be a low-level endocrine disruptor owing to its tendency to mimic estrogen. It has been reported that triclosan can cause endocrine disruption and...

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have brougt the growing concern about the potential to interfere with the endocrine system and to cause health problems. Among EDCs, bisphenol A (BPA) and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-methoxyphenol)-ethane (methoxychlor, MXC) can bind to estrogen receptors (ERs) and lead abnormality of ER depenent signaling pathways, resulting in human health problems such as dysfuction of reproduction and carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated whethe...

Benzophenones are organic chemicals widely used as stabilizers to UV light irradiation in plastic surface coatings and food packaging. They have been known that their derivatives appear to have cytotoxic effects. 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (Benzophenone-3, BP-3) and its metabolite, 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (Benzophenone-1, BP-1), are used mostly in the formulation of nail polishes, enamels, bath products, sunscreens and skin care products. In this study, the estrogenic e...

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin hormone playing an important role in glucose-dependent insulin secretion and β-cell growth. However, GLP-1 is rapidly degraded by dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) in vivo. Many attempts have been made to develop long-acting GLP-1 analogs with chemical modification, amino acid substitution, and fusion protein technology. We previously showed that the N-terminal Ala- or Gly-extended GLP-1 and human immunoglobulin ...

We present a case of a 71-year-old Jamaican man who presented with a 4 weeks history of backache, lethargy, night sweats, decreased appetite, and weight loss. There was no significant medical history.Physical examination revealed tachypnoea, sinus tachycardia with evidence of short QT interval on the ECG, generalised lymphadenopathy with firm, rubbery glands up to 3×3 cm in diameter. Arterial blood gases were consistent with type 1 respiratory failu...

Background: Visceral fat is a key factor underlying type 2 diabetes. The amount and distribution of body fat is strongly influenced by sex steroids. Androgen receptors (ARs) are present in adipose tissue and are abundant in the detrimental visceral bed. Here, we sought to determine the contribution of the AR in adipose tissue to the pathophysiology of visceral obesity and type 2 diabetes.Methods: Male fat-specific AR-knockout (fARKO) mice (12 weeks; n...

Before the use of potent acid suppressing drugs and in particular proton pump inhibiters (PPI), most patients with gastrinoma presented with Zollinger–Ellison syndrome and diagnosis was problematic in only a few. In recent years, the syndrome is rarely seen and gastrinoma patients present with less overt symptoms and hypergastrinaemia which may be mild. Increasingly patients present later.In the population, hypergastrinaemia most commonly occurs bec...

Introduction: Hypocalcaemia is a rare presentation of thyrotoxicosis. We describe a patient with severe life-threatening hypocalcaemia and suggest pathogenic mechanisms.Case report: A 66-year old lady with long-standing insulin-treated type 2 diabetes presented acutely with generalised weakness and a collapse at home. Prior to admission, she had been treated for an infected neuro-ischaemic plantar ulcer with broad-spectrum antibiotics. She had developed ...

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) are important neuropeptides that are structurally related. They have been found to exert many physiological and pathophysiological effects through the activation of three specific receptors: PAC1R, VPAC1R, and VPAC2R. In tetrapods, PACAP and VIP are potent agonists to VPAC2R. In teleosts, we have previously identified a PHIR in goldfish which shares high level of sequence similarity ...