Endocrine Abstracts

The aim of the study was to explore the relation of female sexual function to the concentration of estradiol (E2), total testosterone (T), DHEA-S in the sample of Lithuanian women in postmenopause.Methods and participants: Two hundred and forty six postmenopausal women who fulfilled inclusion criteria were asked to fill in female sexual functioning index (FSFI) and socio-demographic questionnaire. A blood sample from all participants was taken...

Insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3), a member of the relaxin-insulin family, is produced in the Leydig cells and at reduced levels in ovarian thecal cells. As ovaries from most of PCOS are characterized by an hyperplasia of the theca interna, we hypothesized that INSL3 could be overproduced in PCOS women and therefore that circulating levels of this hormone could became a new marker for the syndrome. Forty lean and obese women with PCOS and 20 controls comparable for age and weight ...

IntroductionPrediction of the efficacy of antithyroid medication in Graves' disease would be of great value. There is no consensus if TSH levels at the end of treatment accurately predict relapse. Previous studies have not carefully defined Graves' disease nor used the same treatment protocol in all patients.AimTo study patients with Graves' disease treated with antithyroid medication to confirm or refute an ...

Introduction: PATRO adults is an ongoing, international, open, longitudinal, non-interventional study of the long-term safety and efficacy of Omnitrope (Sandoz), a recombinant human GH (rhGH). This study will provide additional data on the long-term safety of rhGH in adult patients with severe GH deficiency (GHD). Here, we present safety data from an interim analysis.Methods: Eligible patients are male or female adults who are receiving treatment with Om...

Background: Ghrelin was recently discovered as the natural ligand for the G protein-coupled growth hormone secretagogue receptor and induces GH release through GHS-R1a. The octanoylation of its third serine residue is responsible for GH release and receptor binding. A variant of ghrelin devoid of this modification, desoctanoyl-ghrelin, can neither bind to the receptor nor induce GH release. Ghrelin has also been shown to effect cellular proliferation, being pro-proliferative i...

Introduction: Low endogenous testosterone levels are related to the metabolic syndrome /MS/ and diabetes type 2 in middle-aged and elderly men, but little is known about interrelations testosterone-insulin in younger hyperinsulinemic men. Recent studies have shown that the night melatonin in males with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is significantly higher in comparison with the healthy men, while it is significantly reduced in patients with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. Howe...

Introduction: The correlation between lipid profile changes & overt hypothyroidism is well established. Overt hypothyroidism is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) as indicated by hypertension, elevated lipids levels, hypercholesterolemia, and particularly increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. However, lipid profile alterations in primary and subclinical hypothyroidism are controversial. There are hardly any studies from ...

The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of BMP-2 to induce gonadotroph-specific gene expression during pituitary development are poorly understood. We have characterised BMP receptor (BMP-R) expression in two gonadotroph models, the alphaT3-1 and LbetaT2 cells, which represent different stages of gonadotroph development. Signal transduction via BMP-R requires a heterodimeric complex between type I (A or B) and type II receptors. RT-PCR for BMP-R, using sub...

The chicken gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (cGnRH-R) is notable for having a cytoplasmic carboxyl-terminal tail, which is not present in the mammalian GnRH-Rs. We have previously shown that the cGnRH-R undergoes rapid agonist-induced internalization, and requires the carboxyl-terminal tail for this process. To investigate the role of the carboxyl-terminal tail of the cGnRH-R in relation to its rapid internalization, and to identify the key residues involved, a series ...

Serum testosterone level is known to inversely correlate with insulin sensitivity and obesity in men. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that testosterone replacement therapy reduces insulin resistance and visceral adiposity in Type 2 diabetic men. Adipocytokines are hormones secreted by adipose tissue and contribute to insulin resistance. We report a double-blind placebo controlled crossover study in 20 hypogonadal Type 2 diabetic men examining the effect of testostero...