Endocrine Abstracts

HIV-1-infected patients under antirretroviral treatment develop the so-called ‘lipodystrophy syndrome’. It is characterized by peripheral lipoatrophy (face, limbs), visceral lipohypertrophy, and, sometimes abnormal accumulation of subcutaneous fat in specific sites, especially the dorso-cervical area. The abnormal fat distribution is associated with systemic alterations characteristic of the metabolic syndrome (dyslipidemia, insulin resistance). Drugs are importantly...

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity is a relevant component of energy expenditure in mammals. Moreover, BAT constitutes an active site of glucose and lipid draining and, therefore, BAT activity is also a relevant actor in the control of glycemia and lipidemia. Recent years, possibly because of the awareness that active BAT is present in adult humans, have witnessed a burst in the identification of novel endocrine factors released by peripheral tissues that can act on BAT beyon...