Endocrine Abstracts

Antagonists of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) are being developed for the treatment of various human cancers. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of GHRH antagonist JMR-132 treatment in ovarian cancer cell lines (SKOV-3, CaOV-3 and OVCAR-3). Using MTT assay, we found that JMR-132 has a strong anti-proliferation effects on SKOV-3 and CaOV-3 cells in a time (0, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h) and dose (0, 25 nM, 50 nM, 100 nM and 200 nM) dependent manner. Also, JMR...

Aim of the study was to establish the diagnostic value of nuclear atypia thyroid nodules with cytological diagnosis of follicular (FOL) and Hv¨rthle cell (HC) neoplasia. 1039/23.313 fine needle aspiration (FNA) performed in January 2002 June 2005 in the Department of Endocrinology, University of Pisa had cytological diagnosis of FOL e CH. FNA was performed under echo guidance, using 23 gauge needle attached to 10 mL syringe. The material was air-dryed and stained with Pap...

In many centres a test dose (TD) of octreotide is administered prior to commencing LAR. The value of the TD as a predictor of subsequent response to therapy remains uncertain. We have studied the relationship of the GH response to a TD to the subsequent response to LAR in 26 patients (median age 59 years, range 20- 84). After baseline GH sampling, 50mcg subcutaneous octreotide was administered and sampling continued for six hours. Results of the TD were compared to the lowest ...

BackgroundIn addition to inhibiting pituitary GH secretion, somatostatin (SS) and its analogues have been shown to exert anti-proliferative effects on a variety of different cell types. The presence of receptors for SS have been demonstrated in a number of tissues but quantification of mRNA expression of the 5 subtypes of SSTR in the colon is unknown.MethodsTotal RNA was extracted from 9 paired samples of adj...

Background: Patients with acromegaly have an increased risk of colorectal neoplasia. In non-acromegalic subjects, carcinomas develop from dysplastic tubular adenomas and colonoscopic removal of these reduces the subsequent incidence of carcinoma. The frequency of such screening in acromegaly is controversial and it is uncertain which patients should be considered to be at particular increased risk. Methods: We reviewed the incidence of new colonic lesions amongst our large coh...

Introduction: We have recently presented data demonstrating total body and regional bone mass relative to body size is reduced in obese children. Adipokines have been shown to play a role in bone metabolism. We hypothesised that 1) increased bone turnover would be associated with reduced bone mass 2) increased serum leptin would be associated with increased osteoclastogenic factors 3) reduced adiponectin woul...

PCOS has major long-term health implications that are closely linked to the Metabolic Syndrome. The prevalence of the Metabolic Syndrome is high among migrant and indigenous South Asian populations. We have previously demonstrated that migrant South Asians with PCOS have a greater degree of insulin resistance than white Europeans with PCOS. As there is a paucity of data on PCOS among indigenous South Asian populations, consecutive consenting anovular PCOS subjects (80) and age...

Background: Chronic SIAD with its disabling impact is challenging to manage in elderly patients as fluid restriction or demeclocycline often has a limited success. Tolvaptan is a novel selective antagonist of vasopressin receptor (V2R) which is safely used in patients with SIAD and other conditions with hypervolemia. We report a case of longest Tolvaptan use with significant challenges amongst our case series which we had previously publishedMethod: A Ca...

Familial glucocorticoid deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by resistance to ACTH of the adrenal cortex, leading to isolated glucocorticoid deficiency and life-threatening hypoglycaemia. Half of all cases are caused by mutations in MC2R, MRAP, MCM4 or STAR. Recent work in our group has identified defects in nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) to be causal in a further 10% of cases. NNT generates the high con...

Background: Familial Glucocorticoid Deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by ACTH resistance of the adrenal cortex, leading to isolated glucocorticoid deficiency. Causative genes include MC2R, its accessory protein MRAP and StAR which account for 50% of cases. Recently nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) has been associated with a further 10% of cases. NNT generates the high concentrations of NADPH in mitochondria necessary for detoxification o...