Endocrine Abstracts

GH deficiency is clinically associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Here we describe a new in vivo model of pituitary GH modulation resulting in protection from hepatosteatosis, by over-expression of delta-like homologue 1 (Dlk1/Pref1) from endogenous control elements. This resulted in improved glucose tolerance with no primary defect in adipose tissue expansion, even under extreme metabolic stress. Rather, Dlk1 overexpression caused pitui...

In late pregnancy the mother must mobilise considerable energy stores to support fetal growth. Failure to appropriately nourish the fetus has significant obstetric consequences – gestational diabetes and fetal growth restriction (FGR). Despite this, relatively little is known about how metabolic responses are stimulated in the mother, and how they may go wrong. We previously found that high levels of the product of an imprinted gene, Delta-like homologue-1 (D...

Background: Delta-like homologue 1 (DLK1) encodes a transmembrane protein, which may also be secreted into the circulation. Levels are known to rise in maternal serum during late gestation and our genetic studies in the mouse have shown that this DLK1 arises from the conceptus. The cell population that secretes DLK1 into the maternal circulation has not been identified. In humans DLK1 has been shown to be differentially expressed in intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) when c...

The anterior pituitary gland is a critical endocrine organ responsible for many important physiological processes including puberty, fertility, metabolism and the stress response. It is derived from, and maintained by, a population of SOX2+ progenitor/stem cells which become more quiescent with age until their direct contribution to tissue turnover becomes negligible. Previous research has demonstrated that the postnatal SOX2+ population exhibits heterogeneity in terms of mark...

The somatostatin receptor 5 (sst5) and its truncated splicing variants (sst5TMD5, sst5TMD4) are considered putative biomarkers that can predict pharmacological response or aggressiveness in several endocrine-related pathologies, such as acromegaly. sst5 is encoded by a gene, SSTR5, that lacks introns within its coding sequence, and hence, the splicing variants identified are generated by non-canonical splicing events. However, the mechanisms underlying their genesis a...