Endocrine Abstracts

Hypoparathyroidism is characterised by parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels inadequate to maintain plasma calcium concentration within the normal range. Even if the conventional treatment with calcium supplements and active vitamin D analogues is usually able to maintain normocalcemia, episodic low plasma calcium, neuromuscular complaints, renal disease and gastric discomfort are not infrequent. 29 patients with post-surgical hypoparathyroidism were started on PTH 1–34 therap...

Human type 2 deiodinase (hD2) regulates T3 production in placenta during trophoblast development. hD2 mRNA and protein levels are elevated only during the first trimester of gestation then becoming barely detectable. These variations are similar to those of chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a well-known marker of early gestation secreted by the cytotrophoblast. A peculiar promoter architecture of the gene encoding the alpha subunit of hCG allows a CRE-mediated synergism between cA...