Endocrine Abstracts

Objectives: Previous studies have shown that metformin can reduce high-fat diet (HFD)-induced body weight gain and fat accumulation in the liver. However, the results obtained in animal models regarding the implication of metformin in the modulation of other whole-body and tissue-specific parameters, are controversial or need to be further explored. Consequently, we aimed to explore the capacity of metformin in modulating glucose/insulin metabolism, liver function, adiposity, ...

Ghrelin was isolated from stomach by its ability to stimulate growth hormone (GH) release through the GH-secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a). However, ghrelin/GHS-R expression in multiple tissues and tumor types suggested additional roles for this tandem. Ghrelin, a 28-aminoacid peptide, requires a unique O-acylation at its Ser-3 residue to bind GHS-R1a and release GH. Conversely, unacylated ghrelin (UAG), initially considered inactive, seems to play distinct metabolic role...

Obesity (OB) and type-2 diabetes (T2D) are chronic endocrine-metabolic diseases, associated to insulin-resistance (IR), that represent capital health problems. Fortunately, both pathologies are, at least, partially reversible by dietary interventions, but the potential metabolic, molecular, cellular factors and mechanisms that might be involved in the total/partial reversion of OB/IR/T2D by dietary interventions are poorly known. Thus, in this work, we aimed evaluate the impac...

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the main hepatic manifestation of obesity. MASLD was recently defined as liver steatosis in the presence of at least one cardiometabolic risk factor and reduced or absent alcohol intake. MASLD prevalence is rapidly increasing, thus becoming the fastest growing aetiology of the most common primary liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the leading cause of liver transplantation in HCC patients. Curre...

Intracranial tumors (IT) comprise a heterogenous group of neoplasias (e.g., pituitary/brain tumors and craniopharyngiomas), characterized by difficult diagnosis based on MRI, challenging prognostic predictors and lack of effective therapeutic strategies. In addition, these tumors are usually associated with neurological disorders and severe comorbidities (e.g., those associated with Cushing syndrome, Acromegaly, etc.), worsening the quality life of patients. In this context, s...

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The main pharmacological strategy for this pathology is the blockade of the androgen receptor signalling pathway, commonly known as androgen-deprivation therapy. However, some of the patients does no longer respond to this hormonal therapy. Therefore, finding novel therapeutic strategies to tackle PCa, especially its most advanced phenotype [i.e., castration-resistant prostate cance...

Emerging evidence indicates that the cellular machinery controlling the splicing process (spliceosome) is altered in several tumour types, leading to oncogenic splicing events associated with tumour progression and aggressiveness. However, whether this molecular phenomenon also occurs in thyroid cancer has not been yet explored. Therefore, our main aim was to explore the potential dysregulation of the expression of relevant spliceosome components and splicing factors in clinic...

High-grade astrocytomas (HGAs) remain the most prevalent and malignant brain tumor based on its locally aggressive behavior, being glioblastoma (grade-IV astrocytoma) the most lethal. The current standard treatment for glioblastomas consists of surgery followed by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. However, the average period of survival is about 14 months after the first intervention. Therefore, there is a clear clinical need for the identification of novel diagnostic, prognos...

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent and most lethal primary brain endocrine-related cancer (ERC) in adults which, in addition to the late-stage diagnosis and the lack of effective novel therapies, results in the low quality of life of patients and the poor prognosis, with a median survival from 10 to 14 months after diagnosis. Accordingly, the identification of novel molecular biomarkers of diagnosis and/or prognosis, as well as therapeutic targets becomes crucial to comb...

Dopamine receptor type 2 (DRD2) represents the main target for pharmacological therapy with dopamine agonists (DAs) in PRL-secreting neuroendocrine pituitary tumors (PRL-PitNET), even if about 10% of patients is resistant. A single paper recently described a somatic mutation in the gene encoding splicing factor 3B subunit 1 (SF3B1) in about 20% of patients with PRL-PitNET, that was associated with PRL hypersecretion, increased cell proliferation and invasion and reduced progre...