Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The biochemical diagnosis of acromegaly is based on elevated plasma growth hormone (GH) that fail to suppress after an oral glucose load. Elevated insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF1) supports the diagnosis. Traditionally GH level of less than 2 miliunits per litre rules out acromegaly. With advent of recent sensitive GH assays, lower levels of GH are increasingly being recognized. We describe a case of acromegaly which differed from the traditional presentation.<...

Folliculostellate (FS) cells are non-hormone producing cells that represent up to 10% of the anterior pituitary gland and may mediate the response of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis to inflammation. Adenosine, released during stress and inflammation, acts at A2b receptors to stimulate growth and secretion of IL-6 from a mouse FS cell line, TtT/GF. We have now extended these studies and investigated how NECA (universal adenosine receptor agonist; 10 micromolar) stimulat...

Introduction: A Mucocele is a collection of mucus enclosed by sinus epithelium within the paranasal sinuses. The pathogenesis is debated but a history of nasal obstruction, nasal surgery, nasal polyps or trauma is common but not universal. Mucoceles can erode local bone structure and invade the orbits. Four cases of sphenoidal mucoceles presenting with headache, 1–15 years post trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery have previously been reported. We present two cases of front...

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is a major regulation of inflammation via the release of adrenal glucocorticoids. We recently showed that anaphylatoxin C3a receptors are expressed throughout the anterior pituitary gland and that immune-derived complement C3a and its less active derivative, C3adesR (loss of C-terminal arginine) are potent stimuli for pituitary hormones.In this study we investigated the expression of the anaphylatoxin receptor C5a ...

We present two patients who were originally diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). A 23 year old was referred with deteriorating hirsutism. Her menstrual cycle was reported as entirely regular following the menarche at age 13. Examination revealed her to be obese with a body mass index of 33 and hirsute, with a Ferriman and Gallway score of 19. She had a typical PCOS appearance on trans-vaginal ultrasound scan. Additional investigations in endocrine clinic revealed...

Coordinated interaction between the immune and neuroendocrine systems is of key importance in regulating the host's response to inflammation and anoxic stress. Adenosine, released under such conditions in high concentration, modulates a number of inflammatory processes and can regulate the activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Although adenosine receptors (ARs) have been described in the pituitary gland, the distribution of the receptor subtypes (A1, A2A, A...

Macroprolactin is a complex of prolactin with immunoglobulin appearing to have limited biological activity, partly due to failure of this high-molecular weight complex to cross capillary walls.Macroprolactinaemia is a common phenomenon, it is thus important to identify this condition in order to avoid unnecessary investigations and treatment. Although the presence of macroprolactin can be confirmed by gel filtration chromatography, this is time consumin...

The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis is the major regulator of stress and inflammation via the secretion of anti-inflammatory corticosteroids. This suggests an important bidirectional flow of information between the endocrine and immune systems. A critical component of the inflammatory response is the complement cascade in which anaphylatoxins C3a, C4a and C5a are released.In this report we used colocalisation immunohistochemistry to show detai...

The nucleoside adenosine is an important regulator of interleukin-6 secretion from the folliculostellate (FS) cells of the anterior pituitary gland but the source of adenosine in this scenario is unknown. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate secretion of adenosine and the expression of adenosine forming and metabolising enzymes in the pituitary gland.Ecto-5/-nucleotidase (CD73), adenosine kinase and adenosine deaminase (AD) were ...

Backround: Recent research has heightened the controversy surrounding the effects of conventional hormone replacement therapy on cardiovascular risk, suggesting that use of HRT is associated with an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Testosterone has also been associated with unfavourable cardiovascular parameters and the addition of testosterone to HRT may augment the risk of cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women.Aim: To elucida...