Endocrine Abstracts

Sepsis is a major clinical problem, caused by a hyperactive immune response following infection. Worldwide prevalence is estimated at 1.8 m/year and mortality at around 40%1. Protective effects of the endogenous anti-inflammatory protein annexin A1 have previously been shown in many models, including sepsis2. We therefore chose to investigate the role of the annexin A1 peptide mimetic, Ac2–26, in murine experimental endotoxaemia, and to ascertain whe...

Sexual dimorphisms have been observed in numerous diseases, particularly those associated with inflammation. Generally, males are more at risk of developing infection and subsequent mortality1, whilst women are more prone to develop autoimmune disorders2. Hormones, particularly oestrogens, are thought to play a significant role effecting these dimorphisms, and oestrogens have been shown to reduce the severity of sepsis3.I...

Animals that are socially isolated for extended periods show behavioural and physiological changes, including alterations in hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) activity. However, there is conflicting data regarding the effects of social isolation on the HPA axis, with studies indicating increased1, decreased2 and unchanged3 corticosterone levels following social isolation. We investigated the effects of social isolation on HPA activity ...