Endocrine Abstracts

IntroductionAromatase Inhibitors (AI) are standard therapy for hormone receptor positive breast cancers in post-menopausal patients. Unfortunately, resistance is common and previous studies from our lab suggest that the altered steroid environment may be a driver. Using label-free mass spectrometry we set out to explore the unique androgen receptor (AR) interactome that supervenes in AI resistant breast cancer and associated hyper-androgenic environment....

Introduction: Although breast cancer (BC) is considered a treatable disease, >30% of patients with hormone receptor positive tumours will suffer recurrence post endocrine therapy. One of the fundamental features of cancer cells is their ability to modulate cell metabolism to facilitate survival, stress response, and proliferation. Increasing evidence suggests that these mechanisms play key roles in the development of treatment resistance. Recent publicatio...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women. Androgen excess is a cardinal biochemical feature of PCOS and correlates closely with markers of insulin resistance. 11-oxygenated androgens are the predominant androgens in PCOS, however their relationship with metabolic dysfunction is unclear. The aims of this study were (i) to evaluate the downstream impact on androgen metabolism of oral classic and 11-oxygenated precursor administration and (i...

11-oxygenated androgens are a group of adrenal-derived C19 steroids that require activation in peripheral tissues. 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (HSD11B2) has been shown in vitro to be essential for 11-oxygenated androgen activation, converting 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11OHA4) to 11-ketoandrostenedione (11KA4), the direct precursor of the potent androgen 11-ketotestosterone (11KT). As the kidney is the major site of HSD11B2 expression, we hypoth...