Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes is associated with long-term cognitive dysfunction. We have previously demonstrated that recurrent hypoglycaemia (RH) in a rodent model of T1D induces oxidative stress and inflammation in the hippocampus, associated with impaired cognitive function. This study sought to investigate whether pre-treatment with a potent inducer of the antioxidant response would ameliorate these cognitive deficits.<p class=...

Hypoglycaemia is an almost unavoidable consequence of iatrogenic insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes. Recurrent hypoglycaemia (RH) results in suppression of normal counter-regulatory hormonal and physiological responses (CRR) to future episodes increasing the risk of severe hypoglycaemia. The mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon remain unclear but may reflect changes in critical hypothalamic glucose sensing neurons (GSN). We set out to indirectly test the hypothesis that ...

Vascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people who have diabetes. Hyperglycaemia is associated with increased transcriptional activity of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) in the vasculature. NFAT activation enhances expression of pro-inflammatory mediators including osteopontin, COX2 and IL6, implicated in the development of vascular disease. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of NFAT inhibition on the progression of microvascul...

Obesity and the metabolic syndrome are chronic inflammatory states that are now understood to be involved in the development type 2 Diabetes. Hypothalamic cytokine signalling is thought to influence neuroendocrine networks critical to the dynamic maintenance of glucose homeostasis. Interleukin 6 (IL6) is a cytokine that displays tissue-specificity and is instrumental in the mounting of the acute phase response, as well as in the subsequent resolving and adaptive phase. IL6 is ...