Endocrine Abstracts

Our recent studies have localised 11 beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11 beta HSD1), which activates cortisol from cortisone, to the human ocular non-pigmented ciliary epithelium, and in an open blinded study conducted on healthy male volunteers, systemic inhibition of this isozyme with oral carbenoxolone (CBX) resulted in a 17% reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether CBX reduced IOP in patients with ocular hypertension (...

Ion and fluid transport mechanisms within the eye are important for several key physiological processes including the maintenance of corneal transparency and the regulation of intraocular pressure (IOP). The mechanism involved in epithelial sodium transport in the eye is regulated by corticosteroids and at a pre-receptor level, by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) activity. Recent studies localised type 1 (11β-HSD1), an oxo-reductase that activates cort...

11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1) activates cortisol (F) from cortisone (E). Our recent human studies identified 11beta-HSD1 to the non-pigmented layer (NPE) of the ocular ciliary epithelium, confirming that this enzyme is integral to the physiology of aqueous humour (AH) production vital for the maintenance of intraocular pressure (IOP). 11beta-HSD1 has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity, and our previous data have defined this enzyme i...

The epithelial cells of the choroid plexus (CP) are responsible for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) secretion into the ventricles of the brain, which then drains principally into the dural sinuses. The balance between production and drainage, in part, facilitates a normal intracranial pressure. The secretion of sodium and anions by the CP, creates an osmotic gradient driving the movement of water into the ventricles. This mechanism is analogous to that found in the ocular ciliary ep...

Sodium transport across the human ocular non-pigmented ciliary epithelium (NPE) is fundamental to the production aqueous humour and maintenance of intraocular pressure. In sodium transporting tissues, serum and glucocorticoid regulated kinase isoform 1 (SGK1) has been identified as an early corticosteroid target gene in the activation of pre-existing epithelial sodium channels (ENaC). We previously demonstrated the presence of both the mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid...