Endocrine Abstracts

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) accounts for ~5–10% of thyroid cancers. Intense efforts are currently directed toward the identification of new druggable targets for the treatment of MTC. The aim of this study was to investigate whether drugs acting at voltage-gated T-type calcium channels could affect hormone release and/or cell proliferation in a MTC cell line, the TT cells. The expression of the three isoforms of T-type calcium channels (CaV3.1, CaV3.2 and CaV3.3) wa...

Background: Novel treatment options are required for patients with adrenocortical carcinomas (ACCs). mTOR-inhibitors are anti-neoplastic drugs that target the mTOR-pathway.Aim: To describe the expression of the mTOR-pathway in normal and pathological adrenocortical tissues.Methods: We evaluated mRNA expression levels of mTOR, S6K and 4EBP1 in 10 normal adrenals (NA), 11 adrenal hyperplasias (AH), 19 adrenal adenomas (ACA) and 26 AC...

Women with CAH have decreased fertility and sexual activity because of psychological aspects and genital status. The aim of this study was to evaluate sexual function and psychological attitudes in 18 women with CAH due to 21-HD (12 with non-classical, four with salt-wasting and two with simple virilizing CAH; 20–48 yrs) under standard treatment, and 18 age-matched healthy women. Sexual function was evaluated by a validated Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnair...

Introduction: In addition to its well known effects on calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism, growing evidences shows that vitamin D plays an important role in regulation of cancer angiogenesis, cell apoptosis, differentiation, and proliferation. Vitamin D acts through vitamin D receptor (VDR), an intracellular nuclear receptor. It was found an association between different cancer histotypes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of VDR. Despite the close relationship be...

Introduction: The reactivation of autoimmune disorders has been described in patients with hypercortisolism after normalization of cortisol secretion. This phenomenon is probably related to the loss of immunosuppressive effect of endogenous glucocorticoids. This is a report of two patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA) and Cushing’s disease (CD), a novel association never described in literature, in whom TA was exacerbated after normalization of cortisol secretion.<p c...

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often diagnosed at late stage or metastatic condition. Surgical resection is considered treatment of choice and other treatment options include chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation and photodynamic therapy. We evaluated the expression levels of the 5 somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) in 23 biopsies of HCC patients and also mTOR, p70S6K and 4eBP1 in HuH-7 and HepG2 and investigated the in vitro effect of somatostatin analogs (SA) and ...

Cabergoline (CAB) and other dopamine agonists are usually discontinued shortly after hyperprolactinemic patients become pregnant. Data on maternal and foetal exposure to CAB and on recurrence of hyperprolactinemia after pregnancy are still limited. The current survey study aimed at elucidating the safety of exposure to CAB during early pregnancy and the recurrence rate of hyperprolactinemia after pregnancy. Thus, 68 pregnancies in a cohort of 59 patients with hyperprolactinemi...

Background: Hypogonadism is a clinical entity characterized by low serum testosterone (T) levels associated with several clinical signs and symptoms which can negatively affect the quality of life. T replacement therapy (TRT), restoring serum T concentrations, improves signs and symptoms related to hypogonadism. Many T formulations are presently available. The aim of the study was to assess effects of 2% gel TRT on serum T concentrations, erectile function, muscle strength and...

Hypercortisolism has been reported to affect cardiac structure and performance. Subclinical Cushing’s syndrome (SCS) is increasingly being reported in incidentally discovered adrenal tumors; its hallmark is a mild autonomous cortisol hypersecretion without specific clinical syndrome of glucocorticoid excess. The aim of this study was to compare cardiac structure and function in patients with adrenal incidentaloma. Thirty patients (10 men, 15 women, 32–74 years) and 3...

Cabergoline (CAB), a potent dopamine agonist, is one of the most effective neuromodulatory drug in the second line treatment of patients with Cushing’s disease (CD). The aim of the current study was to estimate the predictive value of the acute CAB administration on short and long term responsiveness to CAB treatment. Twenty CD patients (6 males, 14 females, 12–60 years) entered the study. The acute CAB test was performed evaluating serum cortisol every hour for 6 h ...