Endocrine Abstracts

The IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) growth/survival pathways are engaged in crosstalk with pathways induced by cell-cell interactions. Different elements of the IGF-IR signalling system also affect the phosphorylation status of molecules involved in the regulation of cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion, such as catenins. In addition, the IGF-IR has been shown to co-precipitate with cell adhesion complexes.In this study, the crosstalk between IGF signalling and ...

The resin of the guggul tree (Commiphora mukul) has been used for millennia in Ayurvedic medicine to treat a variety of ailments. Extracts of this resin have been reported to lower LDL cholesterol in humans, and the plant sterol guggulsterone (4,17(20)-pregnadiene-3,16-dione) is thought to be the active agent. We have found that guggulsterone is an antagonist ligand for the nuclear the bile acid receptor, FXR. Guggulsterone treatment lowers hepatic cholesterol levels in wild t...

GH and IGF1 play an important role in cardiac development and function. Conditions leading to abnormal GH levels are associated with cardiovascular disease. Although acromegaly is associated with hypertension, insulin resistance, diabetes type 2 and dislipemia, several studies ascribe the heart alterations displayed by these patients to the direct action of chronically elevated GH and IGF1 levels.Given that insulin acts as a growth factor to the heart an...