Endocrine Abstracts

PKA regulatory subunit 2B (R2B) is the most expressed in mouse adipose tissue, where it plays an important role in regulating energy balance. We previously demonstrated that R2B is the most abundant R subunit in human adult subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues. We further showed that R2B expression and PKA activation are reduced in adipose tissues from obese as compared to non-obese subjects. Normal adipose tissue development and increases in fat mass associated with obes...

Androgens, by signaling through the androgen receptor (AR), mediate a wide range of male developmental processes. Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), a X-linked disorder caused by AR gene mutations, represents an in vivo model to study the role of androgens in sexual development. Here, we reported a case with CAIS at 20 weeks of gestational age harbouring a novel AR missense mutation (D767V), which was predicted to prevent androgen binding and...

Embryonic transcription factors have been involved in tumourigenesis. The transcription factor TBX1 regulates the embryonic parathyroid cells fate. Indeed, it has never been investigated in human adult parathyroids. Here, expression, function and regulation of the TBX1 gene were analyzed in adult normal and tumour parathyroid tissues. Immunohistochemistry identified 30–70% (mean±S.E.M, 52.0±7.3%) of cells expressing TBX1 at nuclear levels...

Endocrine Connections 2013 2 196–207. DOI: 10.1530/EC-13-0049...

Tumour-associated fibroblasts (TAFs) are important players in tumour formation, growth, enhancement and metastasis. We firstly investigated the TAFs component in human parathyroid neoplasia from patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) has been used to identify activated TAFs (myofibroblasts). Culturing explants from parathyroid adenomas (PA, n=5), large spindle-shaped alpha-SMA+ cells outgrew from explants and the expression of...