Endocrine Abstracts

The transplacental passage of thyroid hormones (TH) from the maternal to fetal circulations is important for normal fetal development, particularly the fetal central nervous system. This is particularly so before the onset of endogenous fetal TH production from the second trimester of pregnancy. The human hemochorial placenta regulates the quantity of TH passing through and the complement of the different forms of TH to ensure requisite levels are present in the fetus for each...

Glucocorticoids (GCs) play a fundamental role in the endocrinology of pregnancy but excess GC in utero may lead to IUGR. Protection against fetal exposure to GCs is provided by the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (11beta-HSD2) located in the placental trophoblast. By contrast, relatively little is known concerning the function of GC-activating 11beta-HSD1 which is expressed within maternal decidua. We have used human deciduas (n=32 first, n=10 second and n=...

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) not only is congenital disease that known as insulin-dependent diabetes, often occurs in children and adolescents. Recent advances in quantitative proteomics including fluorescence two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) have offered opportunities to discover plasma proteins as biomarkers for tracking the progression and for underst...

Human securin, known also as pituitary tumor transforming gene (PTTG), has established oncogenic and cell regulatory functions. PTTG transforms cells in vitro, inhibits sister chromatid separation and regulates secretion of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). FGF-2 is a key regulator of CNS development and PTTG/securin expression has previously been reported in murine fetal brain. We examined mRNA and protein expression of PTTG and FGF-2 in 35 first trimester (7-12 weeks) and ...

Objectives: To investigate whether there is a sex difference in serum leptin concentration in Chinese Type 2 diabetic patients with and without nephropathy.Methods: Early morning fasting serum leptin concentrations were measured in 34 Type 2 diabetic patients (mean age 62.1) with nephropathy (creatinine 120-450micromol/l and spot urinary albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) > 25 mg/mmol), 12 newly diagnosed diabetic subjects (mean age 62.5) with normoalbumi...