Endocrine Abstracts

The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is not only the first cause of female infertility but also a complex, endocrine, multifaceted disease with important health implications. PCOS is often associated to the metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance represents the main characteristics for both these syndromes. The metabolic disturbances characteristic of insulin-resistant states have been linked to the role of mitochondrial function and in particular to the maximal oxygen cons...

Introduction: Pancreatic β-cells control glucose homeostasis by secreting insulin in response to high glucose. MiRNAs regulate β-cell function and contribute to β-cell failure in type 2 diabetes. MiR-184 regulates β-cell compensatory expansion during pregnancy and obesity and its expression is reduced by glucose through unknown mechanisms. AMPK is a suggested target of antidiabetic drugs and an important energy sensor. Its β-cell-selective inactivation...