Endocrine Abstracts

Asia occupies 30% of the world’s landmass and contains 60% of the world’s population encompassing a wide diversity of people and demographics. It has been estimated that by 2050, half of all hip fractures in women >65 years of age will occur in Asia. Hip fracture incidence rates among women vary widely in Asian populations, from as low as 100 up to 500 per 100 000. Within the space of 1 to 3 decades in several countries, hip fracture incidence rates have risen dr...

Seminal plasma (SP) contains proteins secreted by testis, epididymis and male accessory glands, involved in the successful fertilization of the oocyte. The function of epididymis, prostate and seminal vesicles are dependent upon the presence of androgenic stimuli.To investigate the role of testosterone in the modulation of the proteomic pattern in SP, we analyzed human SP proteome comparing the panel of common seminal proteins in five fertile normogonada...

Introduction: Idiopathic central hypogonadism (ICH) is a rare and heterogeneous disease due to defects of GnRH secretion or action. ICH could be associated or not with hypo-anosmia respectively identifying the Kallmann’s syndrome (KS) or the normosmic ICH (nICH). Even though 14 disease genes have been identified, in 70% of patients no genetic cause could be identified, suggesting additional regulatory genes and still unknown mechanisms. Thus, with the aim to identify new ...

Introduction: Trisomy 21 or Down Syndrome (DS) patients have a predisposition for Congenital Hypothyroidism which can aggravate their mental status.Hypothesis: The presence of three copy of Dyrk1a gene, localized in chromosome 21 in Humans, is responsible for a thyroidal dysgenesis.Our aim is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this condition.Methods: The transgenic Dyrk1a (TgDyrk1a) mouse, our ...

Fetal growth restriction is associated with abnormal placental cell (cytotrophoblast) proliferation. Using an explant model of human first trimester placenta, we have demonstrated that the IGF-I and -II stimulate proliferation in cytotrophoblast and are probably essential for normal placental growth. IGF activates signalling through IGF1R/Akt/ ERK pathways, thus the ability of the placenta to modulate expression of components of these pathways is important for normal pregnancy...

Amiodarone has been used widely for treating resistant tachyarrhythmias in the past three decades. It is an iodinated benzofuran derivative with a structural formula that closely resembles that of thyroid hormones and contains about 37% of organic iodine by weight, from which 10% is deiodinated to yield free iodide. Given the daily maintenance dose of amiodarone between 100–600 mg daily, about 3.5–21 mg of iodide are released into the systemic circulation, equivalent...

Aims: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) now affects a significant proportion of young people worldwide. ‘X-borough’ contains a strikingly young, diverse population with one of the highest rates of prevalence for adult T2DM in the UK. Our aims were to determine the prevalence and examine the characteristics of young people with T2DM in this population.Methods: Forty-four young people (<25 years) with T2DM were matched with an equal number of young peop...

Vasopressin acts through G protein-coupled receptors on the cardiovascular and renal system to induce vasoconstriction and antidiuresis. Vasopressin also has important functions within the CNS influencing cognition, olfaction and a range of complex social interactions and behaviours. In addition, vasopressin has been reported in the mammalian retina and here we investigated the location and expression of vasopressin and vasopressin receptors (V1a, V1b, and V2) in the rat retin...

LHX3, a member of the LIM-homeodomain family of developmental transcription factors, is required for establishment of mammalian anterior pituitary hormone-secreting cell types as well as the formation of specialized neurons of the nervous system. Paediatric patients with pituitary insufficiency are sometimes diagnosed with combined pituitary hormone deficiency disease (CPHD). This disease can be linked to mutations in essential pituitary developmental transcription factor gene...

In this talk I will describe several genes that have been implicated in the action of GH as it relates to aging. Much of the data is derived from two dwarf and one giant strain of mice produced in our laboratory that possess very different life spans. One of the dwarf lines contains a disruption of the GH receptor and binding protein gene (GHR/BP) (PNAS, 94:13215–13220, 1997). Homozygous GHR/BP ‘knockout’ mice (GHR/BP−/−) show severe postnatal growth...