Endocrine Abstracts

We previously showed acute hypoxic conditions result in atrophy of myotubes in vitro. Chronic hypoxic exposure in vivo induces muscular atrophy in healthy mountaineering individuals and patients with COPD. Myotubes in vitro increase myostatin expression in response to hypoxic exposure. Further, hypoxic COPD patients show cachexia and increased serum myostatin expression. However, in vivo results are cofounded by disease factors in COPD patie...

MC3-R expressed in the brain are well characterized however the role of MC3-R in the periphery is unclear. Recently, we described immunopositive staining for MC3-R in the testes of wild-type mice and reported that the testicular histology of the MC3-R null mouse was abnormal. The aims of this further work were to confirm that MC3-R is expressed in testes and determine if ACTH1–39 affects testicular steroidogenesis in vitro.RNA and ...

Melanocortin receptors (MCS, MC1–MC5) are GPCRs, activated with different affinities by the melanocortin peptides (α-, β-, γ-MSH and ACTH). They are widely distributed throughout the body displaying a multitude of actions however their role in reproductive physiology is unclear. Previously, we have shown a reduction of pituitary hormone content and abnormalities in testes morphology in male MC3 null mice. The aim ...