Endocrine Abstracts

IntroductionMetabolic homeostasis in the testis is essential for a healthy spermatogenesis. Insulin is regarded as one of the most important intervenients in the metabolic regulation of spermatogenesis, where it acts directly on the differentiation of spermatogonia into primary spermatocytes or indirectly through the metabolic modulation of Sertoli cells. Additionally, insulin is hypothesized to play a major role on human spermatozoa capacitation, althou...

Introduction: Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are mitochondrial transmembrane channels belonging to the anion carrier family. Six UCP homologues (UCP1-6) had been identified with a ubiquitous distribution throughout the body and many different physiological functions. UCPs are important regulators of several biological processes, including thermogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation, ROS production, as well as cellular metabolism. However, the knowledge concerning the mo...

Infertility is a global health problem that affects about 15% of couples and approximately half of infertility cases are associated with male factors. Oxidative Stress (OS) is reported as one of the major causes of male infertility, mainly due to spermatozoa’s vulnerability to the attack of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Infertile couples often recur to assisted reproductive technology (ART) to achieve a successful pregnancy. However, ART protocols also increase the expos...

Introduction: Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are transmembrane channels present in the inner mitochondrial membrane whose function is the transport of protons and small substrates between the intermembrane space and the mitochondrial matrix. UCPs are key regulators of cellular metabolism, including mitochondrial function, oxidative phosphorylation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. UCPs’ dysfunction has been associated with the onset of metabolic dis...

Infertility affects about 15% of couples, and, among these, 50% are related to the male factor. Male infertility can be caused by intrinsic factors, and these may either directly or indirectly affect gamete and testicular development as a consequence of endocrinopathies. In that sense, research regarding the involvement of endocrine hormones, particularly of nutritional status-linked hormones, in the male reproductive system has increased over the years. In fact, the rise on t...

Current lifestyle, characterized by physical inactivity and a poor diet, is heavily linked with an increased incidence of metabolic diseases. One of the most serious silent co-morbidities of those diseases is infertility. The hormonal link between food intake and energy homeostasis is mediated by the leptin ghrelin axis. Compelling evidence suggests that direct leptin’s action regulates cellular glucose homeostasis and mitochondrial biogenesis. We have recently shown that...

Introduction: Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are channel proteins present in the mitochondrial inner membrane which are responsible for the transport of protons between the mitochondrial intermembrane space and the matrix. Currently, six UCP homologues had been identified (UCP1-6). UCPs are major regulators of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, general cellular redox state and metabolism. UCPs also exhibit specific functions, such as UCP1 and thermogenesis or ...

Introduction: Atrazine is one of the most widely used pesticides worldwide and a common contaminant in human drinking water. Atrazine is also a potent endocrine disruptor capable of causing a variety of negative health outcomes, including decreased testosterone production and infertility. Although harmful effects of atrazine on male reproductive health have been reported, little is known about its molecular mechanisms. Within the seminiferous tubules, Sertoli cells are respons...

Prostate cancer (PCa) is an endocrine tumor that presents distinct metabolic features associated with neoplastic development, namely in the transition from the androgen-dependent to the androgen-independent phenotype that characterizes advanced stages of prostate cancer. Recently, we have found that LNCaP (androgen-responsive) and PC3 (androgen-nonresponsive) PCa cells present distinct glycolytic metabolism profiles in consequence of altered gene expression and/or activity of ...