Endocrine Abstracts

The key enzymes in the terminal stages of human adrenal gland corticosteroid biosynthesis are aldosterone synthase (AS) and 11-beta hydroxylase (11beta-OHase). Their amino acid sequences differ by only 7% but they exhibit markedly different enzymatic activities. AS is expressed solely in the zona glomerulosa and converts 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC) to aldosterone whereas 11beta-OHase is expressed mainly in the zona fasciculata and produces cortisol from 11-deoxycortisol. The ...

The key enzymes in the terminal stages of human adrenal gland corticosteroid biosynthesis are aldosterone synthase (AS) and 11beta-hydroxylase (11beta-OHase). Their amino acid sequences differ by only 7% but they exhibit markedly different enzymatic activities. AS is expressed solely in the zona glomerulosa and converts 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC) to aldosterone whereas 11beta-OHase is expressed mainly in the zona fasciculata and produces cortisol from 11-deoxycortisol. The 3...

Plasma homocysteine is now regarded as a graded risk factor for vascular disease comparable to smoking, high cholesterol and raised blood pressure. In diabetes homocysteine values have correlated with microalbuminuria and are thought to contribute to vascular damage. Folic acid is an essential co-factor for homocysteine metabolism and folic acid supplementation has been shown to reduce plasma homocysteine by about 30%.In this study patients with Type II ...