Endocrine Abstracts

The ever-growing obesity epidemic puts an enormous burden on our societies. The need for the development of novel therapeutic interventions necessitates the exact understanding of the underlying regulatory principles in energy homeostasis. Over the last 10 years, the hormonal and nutritional factors communicating the energy state of the body to the central nervous system to adapt caloric intake and energy expenditure have rapidly extended our understanding on the mechanisms co...

Introduction: Interleukin (IL)-6 can activate signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3-dependent signaling similar to leptin in neurons. Here we demonstrate that central application of IL-6 suppresses feeding and improves glucose tolerance in mice. Furthermore, we found that central IL-6 trans-signaling is enhanced in obese mice to improve anorexigenic and glucoregulatory effects of IL-6.Methods/design: Glucose tolerance and insulin sensi...

Excess consumption of saturated fatty acids may lead to an increased production of ceramides that contribute to development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Substantial research demonstrated that inhibition of ceramide biosynthesis ameliorates atherosclerosis, hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance and obesity. However, as ceramides and their sphingolipid products are involved in multiple fundamental cellular processes, concerns exist about possible risks or adverse e...

In light of the ever-increasing incidences of obesity and T2DM, development of novel therapeutic or preventative measures to combat these epidemics is of utmost importance. Identification of a causal relationship between an altered maternal metabolic homeostasis and an increased propensity for the unborn child to develop metabolic disorders throughout lifetime has shifted considerable amount of attention towards understanding the underlying cellular and molecular alterations. ...

Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is a rare acquired paraneoplastic syndrome clinically presenting with recurring fractures, muscular weakness and pain. Laboratory values of affected patients are characterized by renal phosphate wasting and hypophosphatemia caused by an overexpression of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF- 23), a hormone belonging to the group of phosphatonins regulating phosphate and vitamin D homeostasis. Pathologically, it is secreted especially by small (and ...