Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Glucocorticoids play a key role in determining body fat distribution. Excess circulating glucocorticoids lead to intrahepatic fat accumulation. Obesity is associated with enhanced glucocorticoid production but this is offset by enhanced degradation such that circulating steroid concentrations are normal. However, tissue-specific pathways may lead to different degrees of cortisol exposure in different organs. Local steroid exposure in the liver is determined by the ...