Endocrine Abstracts

The gonadotrophin hormones comprise a common alpha subunit and a hormone specific beta subunit and their expression profiles differ during pituitary ontogeny. The transcriptional regulatory cascade that is required to mediate this is largely unknown. However, perturbation of the expression of homeodomain transcription factors, Paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 1 (Pitx1) and Homeobox gene expressed in embryonic stem cells 1 (Hesx1) disparately affects gonadotrophin g...

In women, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is secreted from the hypothalamus and conveyed via the portal vasculature to the anterior pituitary gland every 60-90 minutes. This binds GnRH receptor and triggers pulsatile release of gonadotrophin hormones, Follicle stimulating and Luteinising hormone (FSH and LH), which stimulate and regulate folliculogenesis. The interdependence of these events accounts for the high number of cycling disorders in women, and the origin of the...

Case History: In 2011, an asymptomatic 63-year-old professor was found to have isolated hypokalemia. He was normotensive and his only past medical history was hypercholesterolaemia. Investigations were suggestive of Primary Hyperaldosteronism (PHA): aldosterone 1055 pmol/L, renin mass 10 mU/L, Na+137 mmol/L, K+3.2 mmol/L, bicarbonate 31 mmol/L. A CT scan was reported as normal, but a 12mm nodule was subsequently noted contiguous with the left adrenal. A m...

Background: Approximately 1000 children per annum born small for gestational age (SGA) will fail to catch-up and become eligible for GH treatment. The reason for this failed growth is often not defined. Understanding mechanisms that cause growth failure in SGA and finding potential biomarkers of poor growth is therefore important. We are using the new technique of Metabolomics as one avenue to address this. Metabolomics is the quantification of small molecule metabolites in a ...

Selective Parathyroid Venous Sampling in Patients with Complicated Primary HyperparathyroidismCM Ogilvie, PL Brown, M Matson, R Carpenter, WM Drake, PJ Jenkins, SL Chew, JP MonsonCentre for Endocrinology and Departments of Surgery and Radiology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, QMUL, London EC1A 7BEThe role of pre-operative localisation of abnormal parathyroid glands remains controversial but is particularly releva...

Investigations of bone disorders which are often inherited have yielded important insights in the molecular mechanisms of bone development, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. However, these studies have been hampered by the lack of available patients and affected families. To overcome this limitation, we have investigated mice treated with the chemical mutagen N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) for hereditary bone disorders. Mice were kept in accordance with national welf...