Endocrine Abstracts

Genes that encode neuropeptides can be recognized in the human genome because their products are (1) highly conserved across species, (2) trafficked though cells by secretory signal peptides and (3) susceptible to proteolytic cleavage at consensus sequences for processing to neuroactive products. One candidate gene is oesophageal cancer-related gene (ECRG4) which was first identified by screening for up- or down-regulated genes in oesophageal cancer. The product of ECRG4, whic...

It was reported that the inhibition of central nervous system (CNS) axon growth is mediated by Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (pEGFR) and that local administration of small molecule EGFR antagonists to optic nerve lesions promoted retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon regeneration (Koprivica et al. 2005). This result was attributed to suppression of EGFR kinase, which neutralised the axonal growth inhibitory potency of CNS myeli...

Background: PPNAD is a rare form of bilateral adrenal hyperplasia associated with Carney complex and PRKAR1A mutation. We report the experience of monitoring disease activity in two patients with PPNAD.Both patients (case 1: a 7.4-year-old boy and case 2: a 6.1-year-old girl) presented with rapid onset of cushingoid symptoms, weight gain and hypertension together with multiple freckles and lentigines.Biochemical analysis on both pa...

Introduction: Strontium ranelate (SR) is a dual action bone agent that increases bone formation and reduces bone resorption. Previous long term studies with SR have demonstrated minimal reductions in parathyroid hormone (PTH) and adjusted calcium (ACa) levels with increase in phosphate (PO4) concentrations, but the exact mechanism of action of SR remains unclear. Postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density (BMD) have relatively high circulating PTH concentrat...

Background and aims: Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a common complication after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS), but resolves in the majority of patients. We determined the osmolalities and timing of DI most that best predicted long-term outcome.Methods: Case series study randomly including 54 patients out of total 99 patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery over 18 months. Follow up information was ascertained from clinic review or by telephone intervie...

Introduction and aims: Following treatment for acromegaly, both growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels are predictive of mortality. These data are derived from studies of either a single GH or the mean circadian GH, with a threshold of 2 mcg/l. However, consensus target criteria (Giustina et al. 2000) require: a nadir GH of <1 mcg/l on OGTT and IGF-I within the age/sex-adjusted normal range. We aimed to determine the degree to which norm...

Understanding the molecular factors that regulate human muscle mass is acquiring increasing scientific interest. Hitherto, known (+ve) endocrine regulators of lean body mass included the GH-IGF-1 system, anabolic steroids, and (−ve) myostatin. In order to elucidate this process further, we have investigated a clinical case at a genetic and phenotypic level. A 46-year-old man with idiopathic muscle hypertrophy requiring multiple therapeutic fasciotomies underwent clinical...

Objectives: Glucose insulin potassium (GIK) improves haemodynamic performance following coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). We postulated that this might be secondary to beta-1 adrenergic receptor (ADRB1) up-regulation and changes in myocyte calcium handling.Methods: We performed a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial on patients undergoing first time elective/urgent on-pump CABG (LREC approval obtained). A cohort of 48 patients rand...

Cannabinoids and ghrelin exert hypothalamic orexigenic effects and independent peripheral effects have also been reported. We have recently reported that ghrelin and cannabinoids can stimulate hypothalamic and heart AMPK activity, and can inhibit liver and adipose tissue AMPK activity, in rats (Kola et al., JBC, 2005). These data are concordant with the known orexigenic, adipogenic and diabetogenic effects of these compounds as well as with their beneficial effects on t...

Rationale: Octreotide is known to shrink acromegalic tumours in vivo. However, the mechanism for this is unclear. To investigate the mechanism of shrinkage we used dynamic contrast enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) to visualise the vascular components within the somatotroph adenomas.Subjects & Methods: Six patients with confirmed acromegaly comprising 4 microadenomas (all male) and 2 macroadenomas (1 male, 1 female) were recruited. All patients we...