Endocrine Abstracts

Mutations in cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (CDKN1B) are associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 4 (MEN4), in which patients typically develop parathyroid and anterior pituitary tumours, and occasionally tumours of the pancreas, adrenals, kidneys and reproductive organs. Here, we report a family with a missense mutation of CDKN1B (p.Pro69Leu) that did not have MEN4-associated tumours, but instead had hypomagnesaemia. The proband, presented wit...

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is a G-protein coupled receptor that regulates extracellular calcium concentration. The CaSR is also implicated in the pathogenesis of non-calcium disorders such as vascular calcification and diabetes, which are leading causes of cardiovascular disease. Common CaSR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been demonstrated to be determinants of calcium metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate whether CaSR SNPs may influence va...

Abnormalities of calcium homeostasis such as secondary or tertiary hyperparathyroidism, and renal osteodystrophy often occur in patients with kidney failure. However, investigations of the underlying molecular mechanisms have been hampered by the lack of available tissues from patients and the lack of suitable animal models. We therefore sought to overcome this limitation by investigating mice treated with the chemical mutagen N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea and identified...

Endocrine cells utilise endocytosis to scavenge polypeptide hormones, and to generate signals from inactive precursors, such as release of thyroid hormones from thyroglobulin in thyrocytes, and activation of vitamin D after reabsorption of ultrafiltrated pro-vitamin D binding protein complex by renal proximal tubular cells (PTC). We have investigated the role of CLC-5, a chloride/proton antiporter expressed in apical endosomes and the apical plasma membrane of thyrocytes and P...