Endocrine Abstracts

Adult-onset Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease characterised by the abnormal proliferation of Langerhans cells, and has a distinct phenotype to that of childhood-onset LCH. Diabetes Insipidus (DI) is a well-recognised manifestation of LCH, caused by infiltration of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis (HPA). Anterior pituitary dysfunction is an uncommon complication of LCH, which has been shown to be associated with DI. However, this association has previously onl...

Coordinated interaction between the immune and neuroendocrine systems is of key importance in regulating the host's response to inflammation and anoxic stress. Adenosine, released under such conditions in high concentration, modulates a number of inflammatory processes and can regulate the activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Although adenosine receptors (ARs) have been described in the pituitary gland, the distribution of the receptor subtypes (A1, A2A, A...

A 46 year old female presented with 12 months history of secondary amenorrhoea. Prolactin was 4746 mIU/l without macroprolactin complexes, LH & FSH were low, oestradiol was undetectable. She had normal visual fields. No other clinical or biochemical features of pituitary dysfunction. She had no regular medication. Pituitary MRI was normal. She was started on cabergoline 250 mcg twice weekly which was subsequently increased to 500 mcg twice weekly. Repeat serum prolactin 5 ...

We report two patients (AB 41 years, LS 55 years) presenting with symptoms of hyperprolactinaemia. Prolactin levels were moderately elevated: 1539 (AB), 1186 (LS) (NR 59-619 mU/L). The remainder of the pituitary profile was normal. Neither patient had visual field defects. MRIs (without contrast) reported pituitary macroadenoma with suprasellar extension but no optic chiasm compression. The initial diagnosis was of probable non-functioning adenoma causing stalk compression. Bo...

Folliculostellate (FS) cells form a three-dimensional network within the anterior pituitary gland and play a key role in regulating the endocrine response to inflammation and anoxic stress. Adenosine, released under such conditions in high concentration, modulates a number of inflammatory processes and can regulate the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The identities of the adenosine receptor (AR) subtypes mediating these responses, however, and the si...