Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated that heritability of diabetes is associated with marked hyperinsulinemia, impaired endothelial function, and inflammatory up-regulation. However, no studies have examined whether a family history of diabetes effects placental maternal and fetal vascular circulation, or placental inflammatory response. The present study was designed to investigate the impact of first-degree family history of diabetes (FHD) on place...

Lipodystrophy is a rare disease characterized by generalized or partial lack of adipose tissue. Lipodystrophy is associated with leptin deficiency and leads to severe insulin resistance and metabolic abnormalities. A previous literature review reported an estimated prevalence of less than one in a million based on the assumption that only one-fourth of the patients with lipodystrophy may have been reported. Later, the prevalence of lipodystrophy was estimated through a search ...

Background: Obesity in pregnancy is associated with hyperinsulinemia, impaired endothelial function, inflammatory up-regulation and higher risk of placental pathological lesions. However not all obese individuals demonstrate similar metabolic profiles. The present study was designed to investigate placental histopathology in lesions that are associated with maternal and fetal circulation abnormalities, in nonobese and obese women with and without metabolic alterations.<p c...

Introduction: Thyrotropin (TSH) and the gonadotropins (FSH, LH, hCG) are a family of heterodimeric glycoprotein hormones composed of two noncovalently linked subunits, α and β. hTSH, heterodimer was converted to a biologically active single-peptide chain, by fusing the common α subunit to the carboxyl-terminal end of hTSHβ subunit in the absence (hTSHβα) or presence of a ~30 aminoacid carboxyl-terminal peptide fr...

Thyrotropin (TSH) and the gonadotropins (FSH, LH, hCG) are a family of heterodimeric glycoprotein hormones composed of two noncovalently linked subunits, α and β. The hTSH heterodimer was converted to a biologically active single-peptide chain (hTSHβCTPα), by fusing the common α subunit to the carboxyl terminal end of hTSHβ subunits in the presence of a ~30 aminoacid peptide from hCGβ (CTP) as a linke...

Objectives: The main goal of the present study is to investigate the role of N-linked oligosaccharides on the structure and function of human thyrotropin (hTSH). A second aim of the present study is to design new analogs of hTSH.Methods: Overlapping PCR technique was used to convert hTSH heterodimer to a biologically active single chain by fusing the α subunit to the carboxyl terminal end of hTSHβ subunit in the absence (hTSHβα) or pr...

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate the impact of insulin treatment on placental maternal and fetal vascular circulation in obese and non-obese women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Design and methods: One hundred and ninety two women with GDM who gave birth and underwent a placental histopathological examination at Wolfson Medical Center were included in the study: 123 women who were treated with diet (Group 1) and 69 women...

Exposure to supraphysiologic doses of exogenous glucocorticoids is associated with gastrointestinal (GI) complications such as peptic ulcer disease, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, duodenal ulcer, and colonic diverticular perforation (DP). Patients receiving high dose glucocorticoids, for rheumatological or autoimmune disease are at increased risk for lower gastrointestinal tract abscesses and perforation. However, little is known about GI complications in endogenous hypercortiso...

Multidimensional studies of medical aspects of ageing were performed in 6 provinces of Poland, the protocol included cross sectional analysis of thyroid function parameters.The sample was randomly chosen and included 4,051 respondents (49.2% females).Group consisted of 3,502 elderly subjects aged 65–90+y, divided into approximately equal six age subgroups; and 549 younger cohort, aged 55–59 y.Thyroi...

Human GH is a member of a family of closely related hormones that include prolactin and placental lactogen. GH regulates a wide variety of physiological processes, including growth and differentiation of muscle, bone and cartilage cells. The use of GH for the treatment of children with impaired linear growth has been accepted as an important therapeutic modality for many years. In addition, beneficial effects of GH replacement therapy in hypopituitary adults are well establish...