Endocrine Abstracts

Somatostatin exerts inhibitory effects on hormone secretion and cell proliferation by interacting with five different receptors (SST1–SST5) linked to effector systems via G proteins. The receptor structural domains mediating these effects have not been identified. Since SS is the hypothalamic peptide that physiologically inhibits GH secretion, aim of this study was to investigate the molecular determinants mediating the interaction of the human SST5 with G proteins and su...

Aims Nicotine (N) has detrimental effects on fibroblasts compounding those of AGE in uncontrolled diabetes. The impact of the antioxidant glutathione (G) is investigated to clarify mechanisms involved, using 5 alpha dihydrotestosterone (DHT) as a hormone marker of healing.MethodsHuman gingival fibroblasts in confluent culture were incubated in Eagle’s MEM, with 14C-testosterone / 14C-4-androstenedione an...

Although initially considered rare, the incidence of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (P-NETs) has progressively increased. A population-based study conducted in England and Wales (1986–1999) found that 5-year survival was 29% for non-functioning and 41% for functioning tumours when considering well-differentiated P-NETs. Traditional treatments show very limited effectiveness; novel targeted therapies are, therefore, required and identification of key molecules driving n...

We previously demonstrated that acromegalic patients with normal IGF-I levels after surgery also met the current criteria for cure (i.e. postglucose GH nadir <1 μg/l) after long term monitoring. Since some Authors recently proposed to even lower the present GH nadir cut off value, the aim of this study was to confirm its adequacy to define long lasting disease remission. A group of 24 acromegalic patients (9 M&15 F, age 54.2±9.6 yrs) normal IGF-I levels and p...

Background: In the last decade, the combination of the widespread use of streptavidin-biotin technology and biotin–containing supplements (BCS) in the daily clinical practice, have led to numerous reports of erroneous hormone immunoassay results. However, there are no studies assessing the clinical and biochemical significance of that phenomenon, when treating patients with hypothyroidism. Therefore, a prospective study was designed to investigate the potential alteration...

Obesity is due to the combined effects of genetic, environmental, lifestyle and the interactions of these factors. Leptin (LEP) is an adipocyte-derived hormone that acts to reduce food intake and increase energy expenditure by binding and activating its specific receptor in the hypothalamus. In humans, LEP and LEPR have been mapped to 7q31.3 and lp31, respectively. The LEP and LEPR genes have been investigated in the search for gene variants potentially related to the pathophy...

Introduction/Aim: MIDD (maternally inherited diabetes and deafness) and MELAS (mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, stroke-like episodes) are rare, maternally inherited, multisystem disorders caused by mitochondrial DNA mutations. We present the case of a patient with mitochondrial diabetes and discuss the diagnostic challenges.Case presentation: A 25-year-old female patient with a 7-year history of diabetes mellitus (DM) and suboptimal glyc...

Objective: Evaluate the influence of altered cortisol binding globulin (CBG) concentration on total cortisol and calculated free cortisol (CFC) during the 250 μg ACTH test.Methods: We included 100 unmedicated healthy individuals (HI) (50M:50F), 13 women taking oral contraception (OC), and 5 men with nefrotic syndrome (NS, prior to glucocorticoid treatment; hypoalbuminaemia <9 g/l; proteinuria >1.6 g/24 h). An ACTH-test was performed between ...

A variety of rapid responses to steroid hormones have been identified during the last decade. In contrast to classical actions mediated via nuclear receptors with a time lag of hours, rapid actions occur within seconds or minutes via second messenger signalling cascades. Classical genomic actions are well-defined and sensitive to transcription and protein synthesis inhibitors. Steroid hormones enter the cell by diffusion or via transport proteins and bind to cognate receptors ...

A 24-year-old male was referred to endocrinology with multiple severe atraumatic vertebral fractures. In the preceding 10 years the patient had experienced a bimalleolar ankle fracture and numerous metacarpal and metatarsal breakages unrelated to trauma. There was no family history of osteoporosis and examination did not reveal any abnormalities in scleral colour, stature, dentition or facial/thoracic morphology. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry demonstrated severe densitometr...