Endocrine Abstracts

Prostaglandins are strongly implicated in the onset and maintenance of human parturition and their synthesis is increased within the uterus in association with labour. Enzymes involved in their synthesis, (cyclo-oxygenase-2), and catabolism, (prostaglandin dehydrogenase) are up and down-regulated respectively, in association with labour. The human prostaglandin dehydrogenase (PGDH) gene is approximately 34kb in size. A large 5' promoter region containing numerous potential tra...

Background: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an inherited cancer syndrome characterized by the development of tumours in at least two of the following three main sites: parathyroid, pituitary and endocrine pancreas. Hyperparathyroidism is the most common presenting feature, with a typical age at onset of 20-25 years, and > 90% penetrance by 40 years. After extended family studies, an index case may have no affected relatives and be apparently 'isolated'. We rep...