Endocrine Abstracts

The expression of GHSR, an endogenous Ghrelin receptor, has been reported in pituitary, but the levels of expression of this receptor are low and the role of the GHSR in the normal physiology to directly affect GH or Prolactin release in pituitary remains unclear. We used a line of GH-GHSR transgenic mice to analyse the effects of hGHSR over-expression in the pituitary GH cells. We also crossed these mice with GH-GFP transgenic mice with fluorescent somatotrophs.<p class="...

Ghrelin is gastric peptide with appetite stimulating and growth hormone (GH) releasing properties. Circulating ghrelin levels decrease after nutrient ingestion, oral and iv glucose challenge. It has been hypothesized that vagal system may have a major role in initiating this decrease.The aim of this study was to investigate circulating ghrelin levels during oral glucose challenge in gastrectomized (GASTRX)- vagotomized patients. The study was approved by...

Normal linear growth in children is highly complex process, regulated by interaction of genetic, environmental and hormonal factors.We present four growth hormone deficient patients which despite severe growth hormone deficiency according to the provocative tests (ITT or GHRH+GHRP-6) and decreased IGF I level grew normally. This study was approved by Ethical Committee of University Clinical Center Belgrade. Three of our patients had idiopathic multiple p...

Posttreatment assessment of the disease activity and definition of cure of acromegaly, by measuring GH secretion, remains problematic. Furthermore, with our efforts to achieve tight biochemical control of the disease it is foreseeable that a proportion of patients may be rendered GH deficient (GHD). The aim of our study was to evaluate residual GH secretion in cured patients with acromegaly. The study was approved by the Hospital Ethical Committee and after informed consent, b...

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a product of complex interactions between physiological and psychological processes. Nausea, gastric pain and fullness are common features of AN patients. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of therapy and psychological conditions on body weight restoration in patients with AN. In 21 AN patients (age 22.4±0.7 yrs) with gastric problems at low weight (BMI 15.9±2.3 kg/m2). oesophagogastroduodenoscopy with gastric biop...

Ghrelin is a potent growth hormone (GH) secretagogue in rats and in humans. Since stomach is the main source of circulating ghrelin, gastrectomy reduces plasma ghrelin concentrations by 65%. The implications of decreased circulating ghrelin on GH secretion have not yet been investigated. Furthermore, the neuroendocrine pathways through which ghrelin acts to release GH are largely unknown. We aimed to investigate GH response after insulin induced hypoglycemia (ITT) and after sy...