Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The highly active human fetal adrenal gland plays a critical role in long term health. Maternal cigarette smoking alters post-natal health of the fetus and the mechanisms involved may include the fetal adrenal. However, understanding of human fetal adrenal development is limited.Aim: To examine the effects of nicotine, its metabolite cotinine, and cigarette smoke extract on H295R adrenocortical cell line steroidogenic capacity.<p class=...

Introduction: The placenta interchanges nutrients, oxygen and waste between mother and fetus, acts as a gate-keeper to protect the fetus and creates an optimal endocrine environment to maintain the pregnancy. Placental insufficiency underpins common pregnancy complications (e.g. intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth). Perturbed expression of molecular transporter proteins in the placental syncytiotrophoblast will affect fetal exposure to harmful drugs/xenobiotics such...

Introduction: The adrenal gland dominates in human fetal steroid endocrinology and produces large amounts of Δ5 androgens. Adrenal development in the human is poorly understood, and species differences make animal models only partially relevant. In this study we measured the steroid content of the human adrenal during fetal development and determined whether maternal smoking affects adrenal steroid concentrations or associated steroidogenic enzymes....

Introduction: The human fetal adrenal has unique structure/function and produces hormones (DHEA, corticoids, catecholamines) that control fetal development, organ maturation and parturition. Maternal smoking during pregnancy has immediate (pre-term delivery, low birth weight) and long-term effects on the offspring (metabolic syndrome, disrupted adrenal function). We performed shotgun proteomics to characterise human fetal adrenal development and to explore adverse effects of m...

Introduction: The human foetal adrenal gland (HFA) is a highly active endocrine organ, producing large amounts of DHEA and DHEAS. Our understanding of HFA development is limited, however, and species differences mean that animal models are only of partial use. Maternal cigarette smoking is known to increase the post-natal risk of health complications of the foetus, and the mechanisms involved may include effects on the HFA.Aim: To examine normal HFA deve...

Introduction: A complex cocktail of endocrine-disrupting and other chemicals is ubiquitous in the modern environment. Exposure to such chemicals contributes to diseases including metabolic syndrome and infertility. The liver is the primary defence organ against xenotoxicants, but also the source of major of plasma proteins, and growth factors/hormones.Aim: To understand how chronic exposure to complex mixtures of chemicals at human and environmentally re...

Hypospadias is among the most common congenital malformations with a mean prevalence of 19.9 per 10,000 live births in Europe. The cause of many cases of hypospadias remains unclear but likely results from a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Although rodent studies have provided great insights into external genitalia morphogenesis, extrapolations to the human genitals is challenging given significant anatomic and morphogenetic differences. With t...

Introduction: Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTLs) are a family of 8 glycoproteins with pleiotropic effects in metabolism, angiogenesis, inflammation and cancer. ANGPTL3, 4 and 8 play major roles in regulating lipid levels, via inhibition of lipoprotein lipase. Increased serum ANGPTL3, 4, 8 levels are associated with obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and fatty liver. Furthermore, cord blood ANGPTL8 is higher than in maternal serum, suggesting a role in fetal development an...