Endocrine Abstracts

Oxytocin is a hormone and neurotransmitter with antiinflammatory and neuroimmune-modulatory properties. Physiological states of elevated plasma oxytocin levels are associated with reduced hypothalamic–pituitaty–adrenal response to different stressors. We examined the effect of exogenous oxytocin administration on bacterial endotoxin induced innate immune responses in humans. Ten healthy men received in a randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over design (1) placebo, ...

The mechanisms responsible for the progressive failure of hypoglycemia counter-regulation in type-1 diabetes (T1DM) are poorly understood. Alterations of brain energy metabolism could influence glucose sensing by the brain and, thus contribute to hypoglycemia associated autonomic failure. Thus, we measured intraneuronal kinetics of total ATP-synthesis from PCr (kfor) in T1DM patients and effects of hypo/hyperglycemia on this brain energy metabolism. Healthy n...

Recent data suggest that circulating retinol binding protein-4 (RBP4) is involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in rodents and humans. Moreover, protein C inhibitor (PCI) which specifically binds retinoic acid was found to be increased in myocardial infarction survivors who are also insulin-resistant.Therefore, we investigated the association of insulin resistance with plasma retinol binding factors (RBP4 and PCI active antigen) in nondiabeti...

Insulinomas are thought to be the result of reduced ß-cell death and hyperproliferation of this specific and highly differentiated cell type. Specific growth- factors are responsible for inducing ß- cell replication and might therefore be involved in insulinoma formation. Pluripotent islet progenitor cells are thought to be located at pancreatic ducts, which can give rise to novel islets as well as exocrine pancreas formation. TGFß1 signalling disruption has bee...

Objective: Establishment of rodent in vitro cell systems for the extension of the functional data about the recently cloned neuroendocrine marker secretagogin.Methods: 1. DNA-cloning; 2. Antibody generation; 3. Immunoblotting and Immunohistochemistry; 4. Cell-transfection; 5. Luciferase Reporter Assays; 6. ELISA.Results: 1. We characterized the rat homologue of human secretagogin (rat secretagogin) and demonstrated the homol...

Background: Humans and other mammals need to maintain a stable core body temperature. Energy expenditure increases in response to a mild cold stimulus, this is called cold induced thermogenesis (CIT). Recently, thermogenic brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been found to play an important role for CIT in human adults. It is known that energy expenditure and CIT are acutely influenced by ambient temperature. In the present study, we investigated the effect of seasonal temperature v...

Introduction: In patients with cured Cushing’s syndrome, comorbidities often persist after remission of glucocorticoid excess. Here we investigate long-term comorbidities in patients with Cushing’s syndrome in remission, and their relationship to metabolic and hormonal markers at the initial diagnosis of the disease.Methods/design: We evaluated 118 patients with cured Cushing’s syndrome (55 Cushing’s disease, 55 adrenal Cushing’s...

IntroductionAltered levels of hormonal appetite regulators have been observed in obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2), most prominently increases of insulin and leptin (indicating resistance) as well as decreases of adiponectin–all of which are long-term energy regulators and adiposity signals. Disrupted signaling of these hormones may have detrimental effects on metabolism, but may also promote weight gain. Weight loss is often accompanied ...

Introduction: Arginine vasopressin deficiency (AVP-D) is a rare disorder with diverse etiologies. Approximately 30% of cases are labelled idiopathic, often associated with an underlying autoimmune process. This case report presents a previously presumed idiopathic AVP-D, revealing its aetiology after more than a decade of follow-up.Case presentation: A 19-year-old male presented in 2012 with symptoms of AVP-D and non-pruritic papular skin lesions on the ...

Background: Various components of metabolic syndrome (MS) significantly increase the risk of thyroid cancer (TC). Moreover, thyroid cancer survivors (TCS) are at increased risk of new components of MS (MSC). The role of thyroid function in this context has not yet been determined. We investigated changes in selected MSC and their association with thyroid function during a two-year follow-up among TCS.Materials and Methods: This retrospective, nested case...