Endocrine Abstracts

Recent investigations have suggested that 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 (11ßHSD1) activity influences development of atherosclerotic lesions and that pharmacological inhibition of this enzyme may have therapeutic benefits. Whilst these findings have been attributed to glucocorticoid metabolism, 11ßHSD1 also inter-converts 7-oxysterols (oxidized products of cholesterol which may promote atherogenesis). This study investigates whether metabolism of 7-oxystero...

The metabolism of glucocorticoids within adipose tissue, by the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11HSD1), is known to be altered in obesity and following high fat feeding. Until recently, little attention has been paid to the fat depots found directly adjacent to blood vessels. Emerging evidence suggests that perivascular adipose may play a key role in modulating vascular function. The presence of steroidogenic enzymes within perivascular adipose, and the eff...

Glucocorticoids (GC) are potent anti-inflammatory compounds, acting mainly through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). GC therapy, however, has debilitating side-effects, necessitating safer new alternative therapies. The natural GC metabolite 5α-Tetrahydrocorticosterone (5αTHB) is anti-inflammatory in vivo in mice, but with fewer side-effects. Its mechanism of action is unknown, and here we test signalling via GR and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). 5&#94...