Endocrine Abstracts

The establishment of pregnancy requires dynamic remodelling of the endometrium. Decidualization, a key part of this process, is characterised by differentiation of endometrial stromal fibroblasts (ESF) which secrete factors that regulate implantation and placental development. We recently discovered that ESF synthesise androgens which modulate the expression of endometrial receptivity and decidualization markers. Utilisation of the circulating androgen precursor DHEA within ta...

Introduction: Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) affects over 1 million women in the UK. At menses, progesterone (P4) withdrawal drives inflammation, tissue break-down and repair of the endometrium. Glucocorticoids are mediators of inflammation and angiogenesis. Our previous studies have demonstrated that differential endometrial expression of the glucocorticoid-metabolising enzymes, 11β-HSD-1 and -2, may play a role in HMB. We hypothesise that aberrant lo...