Endocrine Abstracts

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: Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTLs) are a family of 8 glycoproteins with pleiotropic effects in metabolism, angiogenesis, inflammation and cancer. ANGPTL3, 4 and 8 play major roles in regulating lipid levels, via inhibition of lipoprotein lipase. Increased serum ANGPTL3, 4, 8 levels are associated with obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and fatty liver. Furthermore, cord blood ANGPTL8 is higher than in maternal serum, suggesting a role in fetal development an...