Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Androgen deficiency (AD) is associated with endothelial and erectile dysfunction, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and reduced quality of life (QoL) in obesity. We aimed to compare effects of weight loss induced by lifestyle modification on endothelial and erectile function, LUTS and QoL in obese men with and without AD.Methods: abdominally obese Asian (body mass index≥30 kg/m2, waist circumference [WC] ≧ 90 cm) m...

Introduction: Mutations in AIP have been associated with the familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA) syndrome, an autosomal dominant disease with incomplete penetrance characterised by pituitary adenomas in a familial setting. However, the mechanisms by which AIP inactivation promotes pituitary tumorigenesis are unknown. Studies of AIP in model organisms, such as the fruitfly, harbouring the AIP orthologue CG1847, as well as the zebrafish, are theoretically promising models...

Background: Thyroid volume correlates positively with body mass index (BMI). This correlation holds true for both iodine-sufficient and mild/moderate iodine-deficient areas. We examined the association between thyroid volume and BMI and change in BMI over 4 years in middle-age adults recruited from the general population.Methods: A total of 2495 subjects, for whom thyroid volume, FT4 and TSH were available (women aged 35–60 years and men ...

The measurement of serum testosterone in women is difficult with most automated immunoassays because of poor sensitivity, accuracy and precision at low concentrations. Mass spectrometry is the gold standard for these measurements but it is slower and requires special expertise and equipment. We investigated whether the modification of a commercial RIA allowed improved testosterone measurements in laboratories without access to mass spectrometry.A commerc...

The efficacy and safety of saxagliptin – a potent, selective dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, specifically designed for extended inhibition of the DPP-4 enzyme – was investigated in two double-blind, randomised trials (CV181-014/Study 1 and CV181-039/Study 2), either as add-on therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) inadequately controlled by metformin alone (HbA1c 7.0–10.0%) or as initial combination therapy with metformin i...

Apart from its role in energy storage, adipose tissue produces several hormones and cytokines termed ‘adipokines’ that have wide-ranging effects on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism; and thereby, play an important role in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome. Visfatin is a novel adipokine, levels of which increase in obesity and is adipogenic; properties common to that of leptin. Thus, leptin may modulate visfatin production in adipose tissue. We investigated t...

NESFATIN-1 is a recently identified hypothalamic satiety molecule derived from its precursor protein, NEFA/nucleobindin2 (NUCB2). Although the hypothalamus is considered the cornerstone for maintenance of energy homeostasis, adipose tissue plays an important role in the integration of metabolic activity and energy balance; communicating with peripheral organs and the brain via secreted proteins, termed adipokines. Many hypothalamic satiety regulatory peptides have been describ...

Aims: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance, obesity and cardiovascular complications. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a novel anti-angiogenic adipokine highly expressed in obese, insulin-resistant subjects. We sought to assess TSP-1 levels in adipose (AT) from PCOS women and matched controls. The effects of metformin treatment on circulating TSP-1 levels in PCOS subjects; effects of serum from normal and PCOS women on in vitro migration and...

Orexins mediate a variety of physiological processes including feeding behaviour, the circadian pathway and cortisol secretion. Steroidogenesis is regulated by a variety of neuropeptides and one of the key rate-limiting steps is cholesterol transport across the mitochondrial membrane by the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein. StAR expression can be regulated through several different signalling pathways. Despite the clear link between orexins and steroid production,...

Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and obesity, both predisposing factors to type 2 diabetes. A very recently described adipokine, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP-4), has been shown to modulate insulin signalling and possibly lead to IR. At present, there is no data that depict the relative expression of RBP-4 in either serum or adipose tissue of PCOS women.Objectives: In women with PCOS compared to matche...