Endocrine Abstracts

Around half of expectant mothers worldwide are overweight or obese and 20% smoke. Exposure to such factors during fetal life is linked to diseases including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and behavioural disorders. Because thyroid hormones control fetal metabolism, cardiac output and brain development, altered fetal thyroid signalling can contribute to future disease. We examined the impact of maternal smoking and overweight/obese (body mass index, BMI, ≥25) on the thy...

Introduction: The human masculinisation programming window (8–14 weeks of gestation) sees testis-derived androgen drive the foetus towards a male phenotype. However, there are few systematic studies of human foetal gonad development.Aim: To conduct a pilot analysis of the foetal gonadal proteome at the end of the masculinisation programming window (13–14 weeks of gestation).Methods: Twenty-eight electively terminated foet...

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...

Background: The potential for a healthy life is programmed by in utero development. Fetal development is impacted by perturbed hormonal signalling, with lifelong consequences. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), affecting over 10% of women, is an important condition linked to an altered prenatal endocrine environment. Women with PCOS have increased androgen concentrations, including during pregnancy. Increased prenatal androgen exposure is associated with a PCOS-phenoty...

Introduction: Adult male offspring of women with PCOS have increased dyslipidaemia, characterised by elevated triglycerides (TG), increased total and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), and hyperinsulinaemia. As altered intrauterine endocrine environments can ‘programme’ adverse health outcomes in adulthood we hypothesised that this dyslipidaemia was a consequence of a hyperandrogenic intrauterine environment. We used an outbred large animal model to identify if prenatal androg...

Introduction: Altered intrauterine endocrine environments can ‘programme’ adverse health outcomes. Linkage between altered androgen exposure in utero and adverse offspring health is robust. For example, increased maternal androgen concentrations and PCOS in female offspring and dyslipidaemia in male offspring. We hypothesised that the liver was a major target for androgenic programming in utero and hepatic dysfunction would be present in offspring. ...

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...