Endocrine Abstracts

The hypothalamic melanocortin 4 receptor, its endogenous agonist, alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone and the endogenous antagonist, Agouti related peptide (Agrp) regulate energy homeostasis. However, the physiological role of the hypothalamic melanocortin receptor, MC3-R and its agonist, gamma MSH are currently unknown. We have previously shown that the MC3/4 agonist, a-MSH has no effect on GnRH release from hypothalamic explants and does not influence plasma gonadotrophins ...

Pituitary apoplexy is a potentially life and vision threatening neuroendocrine emergency, which can often be misdiagnosed in the absence of the clinical hallmark of sudden onset headache and visual disturbance in a patient previously known to harbour a pituitary tumour. We report a 30 years old male patient with history of Vitiligo who presented to the emergency department with a 1-week history of vomiting, abdominal pain and lethargy along with postural hypotension and a very...

The link between thyrotoxicosis and coronary artery disease is complex with associations between therapy and vasculitis, as well as thyroid hormone excess and coronary artery spasm described. We present a 37-year-old female with a one-year history of Graves thyrotoxicosis treated with Propylthiouracil, who presented acutely with chest pain and a left hemiparesis. Typical electrocardiography changes and elevation of Troponin T confirmed a recent myocardial infarction, and CT sc...

Annexin-1 (Anx-1), a 37kDa protein, is a member of the super-family of Ca2+- and phospholipid-binding annexin proteins and acts as a mediator of glucocorticoid (GC) action in the host defence and neuroendocrine systems. In the anterior pituitary Anx-1 is expressed mainly by folliculostellate (FS) cells and mediates the early delayed feedback inhibition exerted by GCs on the release of ACTH and other pituitary hormones.The role of Anx-1 in the ...

Background. Recent studies have linked high serum levels of IGF-1 and low levels of IGFBP-3 with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. BP3 has been shown to have IGF-1 independent effects on cell proliferation in breast and prostate cells, but its effects on colon cancer cells is largely unknown. Aims. To determine: 1) the effects of BP-3 on colonic epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis, and 2) whether any effects are independent of IGF-1. Methods....

Background: Increased childhood cancer survival has resulted in an accruing adult cohort faced with potential infertility. Pre-treatment semen cryopreservation can protect reproductive capacity in adolescent minors, but continued unique legal, ethical and educational barriers prevent consistent service provision across the UK. The effect of pubertal maturation, disease and treatment on the ability to produce sperm also remains poorly defined in this cohort. We present our 10-y...

ObjectivePrevious studies have documented poor fertility results in women with hypopituitarism (HP) both in terms of pregnancy rates and outcomes. We aimed to assess ovulation induction (OI) and pregnancy outcomes in women with HP compared to women with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (HH) treated at University College London Hospitals.DesignA retrospective study.Patients<p class="ab...

Aims: We studied the association of newborn screening (NBS) on early infancy outcomes in 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), using I-CAH registry data.Methods: From 2018-2023, data was available for 121 infants with 21OHD CAH (52 male) during the first 90 days of life from 26 centres in 15 countries. NBS was performed in 15 centres from 9 countries.Result...