Endocrine Abstracts

Endometriosis is a chronic hormone-dependent disorder, characterised by growth of ‘ectopic’ endometrial tissue outside the uterus. It has been reported that 30–40% of women who are sub/infertile have endometriosis. Infertility in women with severe endometriosis may be the result of either scarring or pelvic distortion, but in women with mild/moderate disease it is believed subfertility may result from disturbances in endometrial tissue function. Transformation o...

Endometriosis is a hormone-dependent disorder, characterised by growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. It has been reported that 30–40% of women with infertility have endometriosis. Transformation of human endometrial stromal fibroblasts (hESC) (termed decidualisation) is accompanied by increased steroid synthesis and is fundamental to the establishment of a receptive endometrial microenvironment, which can support and maintain pregnancy. Evidence suggests that ...

The establishment of pregnancy requires dynamic remodelling of the endometrium. Decidualization, a key part of this process, is characterised by differentiation of endometrial stromal fibroblasts (ESF) which secrete factors that regulate implantation and placental development. We recently discovered that ESF synthesise androgens which modulate the expression of endometrial receptivity and decidualization markers. Utilisation of the circulating androgen precursor DHEA within ta...

The uterus is an androgen-responsive organ; androgen receptors (AR) are expressed in human endometrial stromal fibroblasts and can regulate proliferation and survival of this cell type. Although chronic androgen exposure results in atrophy of human endometrium, previous studies have suggested that it may have trophic effects in the rodent uterus. We hypothesised that androgens may have different impacts on endometrial function in the presence or absence of oestrogens. In the c...

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are highly effective anti-inflammatory drugs, however their use is limited by serious side effects. We have previously shown that 5αTHB binds GC receptor (GR) and suppresses inflammation in vitro and in vivo, without affecting metabolism. Here the underlying molecular mechanisms were explored in cell models of ligand-induced GR phosphorylation, nuclear localisation and gene transcription. Data are mean±S.E.M. (th...