Endocrine Abstracts

Pasireotide (SOM230), a somatostatin (SST) analogue targeting multiple SST receptors, is effective in reducing urinary free cortisol in patients with Cushing disease (CD), due to inoperable or recurrent ACTH secreting pituitary adenomas. The efficacy of SOM230 seems to be dependent on the presence of appropriate SSTRs, mainly SSTR2 and 5, on the membrane of tumor cells. Polyclonal antibodies available up to now recognizing cellular intracellular sites of receptors and their re...

Aggressive pituitary tumors are classically defined as pituitary tumors with large size, rapid growth and massive invasion of surrounding anatomical structures. This is a group of pituitary tumors with biological behavior between pituitary adenomas and carcinomas and includes a new group of pituitary tumor, defined atypical adenoma, characterized by the presence of invasive growth and combination of increased mitotic activity and a Ki-67 labeling index >3%. The aim of this...

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a common cause of female infertility affecting about 1–2% of women under the age of 40. This heterogeneous disorder is characterized by primary or secondary amenorrhea and elevated gonadotropin values. Several defects can cause POF, including autoimmunity, X chromosome abnormalities and gene mutations, but its pathogenesis is still unknown in the vast majority of women with normal karyotype. We recently described two sisters affected wit...

Classical somatostatin analogues (SST-A), such as octreotide and lanreotide, bind mainly SSTR2 whilst the multiligand pasireotide binds with the highest affinity SSTR5. The selective immunodetection of ligand binding domain (LBD) of SSTR subtypes with specific monoclonal antibodies may be useful to explain the potential efficacy of different SSTA on pituitary tumours growth and/or secretory activity.Patients and Methods: We applied new monoclonal antibod...