Endocrine Abstracts

Understanding the physiological control of appetite is crucial to our understanding of obesity and metabolic disease, and may suggest novel targets for anti-obesity drugs. In the last decade our understanding of the mechanisms by which the brain regulates energy homeostasis has improved dramatically, largely due to new techniques in neuroscience including optogenetics and chemogenetics. This talk will summarise our current understanding of the neural circuitry that regulates f...

High protein diets suppress appetite and facilitate weight loss, but are difficult to adhere to in the long-term. Understanding the mechanisms by which protein suppresses appetite may establish targets for more acceptable interventions to treat or prevent obesity. Of particular interest is the concept of functional foods or novel products which aim to potentiate satiety. However, the specific mechanisms regulating protein-induced satiety are unknown. Protein has a satiating ef...

Intestinal nutrient sensing and transport are gaining increasing attention in the field of obesity research. To date, in vitro studies in this area have largely used two dimensional (2D) cell culture models. However, 2D cell cultures are limited by a lack of cellular heterogeneity, behaviour, and communication observed in vivo. There has consequently been growing interest for the application of three-dimensional (3D) cell culture ...

Intestinal nutrient sensing and transport are gaining increasing attention in the field of obesity research. To date, in vitro studies in this area have largely used two dimensional (2D) cell culture models. However, 2D cell cultures are limited by a lack of cellular heterogeneity, behaviour, and communication observed in vivo. There has consequently been growing interest for the application of three-dimensional (3D) cell culture ...

Skeletal muscle exists in a state of continuous synthesis and breakdown of muscle proteins in order to preserve normal metabolic and locomotive functioning. Hormones are well established regulators of this homeostatic process. Chronic systemic inflammation can dysregulate skeletal muscle homeostasis via the disruption of endocrine signalling pathways. This can result in skeletal muscle atrophy, which is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and sarcopenia....

Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) comprise a heterogeneous group of tumours that constitute a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The most commonly used general NET circulating biomarker is Chromogranin A (CgA). CgA is elevated under other circumstances, notably by the use of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) and possibly via a gastrin-mediated mechanism. Chromogranin B (CgB) and Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated transcript (CART) are two less commonly used NET biomar...

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) are rare tumours that originate from neuroendocrine cells and their incidence has increased for the last 20 decades; partly because of advances in diagnostic tools, which have improved detection rates. Chromogranin A (CgA) is the most widely used biochemical tumour marker for NETs, however, its prognostic utility has been questioned due to several non-neuroendocrine causes of elevated CgA. This is the first study to assess the prognostic utility o...

Ingested protein has a greater satiating effect than other macronutrients. The underlying mechanism is unknown, but it has been shown that protein induces greater increases in anorectic gut hormone levels than carbohydrate or fat. It was hypothesised that these effects could be mediated by specific amino acids comprising the protein. We therefore examined the effects of specific amino acids on food intake and gut hormone release. Fasted male Wistar rats received an oral gavage...

The screening and monitoring of intestinal diseases still provides challenges within in vivo and clinical research. For example, patients with Crohn’s disease will typically have a biannual endoscopic examination – this invasive procedure is distressing for patients and hence its frequency is limited at the expense of sufficient monitoring of pathological progression. Modalities such as CT and MRI can image the GI tract, however, they are ionising, which nor...

High protein diets are highly satiating but hard to maintain. By understanding the mechanisms underlying these effects we may be able to identify new anti-obesity therapies. Protein is broken-down into amino acids in the gut which are detected by a series of nutrient sensors. The calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) is primarily activated by calcium ions, but is positively allosterically modulated by aromatic amino acids, especially L-phenylalanine. Sti...