Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Peptide-YY is synthesised and secreted by specialised cells in the ileum and colon. Levels increase following food intake, having a satiety effect. Baseline and postprandial levels of PYY were found to be lower in obese subjects compared to lean, negatively correlating with the subjects BMI, however obese subjects were sensitive to the anorectic effects of PYY when given exogenous PYY.Hypothesis: We have recently demonstrated that another pra...

Background: Childhood obesity now represents a major public health concern. Being obese in childhood appears to increase the risk of severe obesity in adulthood. Obesity is associated with co-morbid conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Underpinning obesity is a state of chronic sterile inflammation. Recently the invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell, an innate T cell was shown to act as a metabolic regulator and altered by obesity both in adults and ...

There is strong epidemiological data linking obesity to an increased risk of various cancers. It is associated with immune dysregulation and chronic low grade inflammation, however little is known about its impact on anti-tumour immunity. Whether childhood obesity is an independent risk factor for future malignancy is not fully established. We hypothesized that alterations in key immune anti-tumour mechanisms begin prior to adulthood in paediatric obesity.<p class="abstext...

Background: Although the association between obesity, chronic low-grade inflammation and immune dysregulation is well described in adults, there is a paucity of literature regarding this in children. We hypothesized that childhood obesity is associated with significant immune dysregulation.Methods: Expression of cytokines and microRNAs (miR) involved in the pathogenesis of metabolic disease were assessed in 49 participants aged 6–18 years. Invariant...

In the pathogenesis of obesity, dysregulated tissue cortisol metabolism (controlled by 11β-HSD1), is postulated to be involved. Fifteen patients (seven mens, mean BMI 50.8±7 kg/m2) awaiting Roux En Y gastric Bypass (RYGB) surgery underwent assessment of 11β-HSD1 activity using cortisol generation profile. Corticosteroids in serum and subcutaneous adipose tissue microdialysis fluid and urinary corticosteroid metabolites were analysed by liquid and gas ...