Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: A primate-specific luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor (LHCGR)-variant was suspected to discriminate between maternal choriogonadotropin (hCG)- and fetal LH-functioning. It is the so-called “LHCGRex6A”, truncated, intracellular receptor isoform produced by alternative cryptic exon stop-codons located between the 6th-7th out of 11 exons. Its function is unknown, although pseudohermaphroditism and 46-XY female-like phenotype were associated with LHCGRex...

Introduction: Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) biosimilars, differing for source cell and glycosylation pattern, are commercially available for therapy of hypogonadism and assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Although these molecules are commonly used in clinical practice, comparison of their action in vitro was poorly investigated.Aim: The aim of the study is to compare recombinant FSH- and biosimilars-induced cell response in vitro</e...

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease characterized by joint destruction, the erosion being caused by invasion of articular cartilage by the synovial pannus. This chronic systemic disease affects approximately 0.5–1% of the adult population, occurring more often in women than in men (3:1). The etiology is thought to be multifactorial, environmental factors or infectious agents being suggested to play a role, but their contribution is yet to be defi...

Background: Agranulocytosis is rare and may develop in 0.2–0.5% patients using antithyroid drug therapy (ATD). We report on a patient who developed febrile neutropenia two weeks after starting treatment with methimazole.Case Report: A 74-year-old female, with no relevant medical history, was diagnosed with Graves disease and treated with methimazole (30 mg/day). Three weeks after starting therapy she presented to the emergency department with compla...

Objectives: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare but life-threatening condition with severe liver dysfunction. In ALF liver regeneration capacity is exceeded due to loss of hepatocyte function. A well-known trigger of ALF is paracetamol (acetaminophen, APAP) intoxication. Unfortunately, based on the poor prognosis and rapidly increasing mortality rate liver transplantation offers the so far only effective therapeutic strategy. Even if the underlying mechanisms of ALF are not ye...

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is produced by the anterior pituitary gland and is a key hormone in the reproductive system. FSH is a heterodimeric glycoprotein composed with two extensively glycosylated protein subunits (α and β) N-glycosylated in two positions (Asn52 and Asn78in the FSHα subunit and Asn7 and Asn24 in the FSHβ subunit). Due to different glycosylation pattern, several FSH isoforms may different...

Cardiovascular (CV) diseases significantly contribute to the mortality excess observed in survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The study explores advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) levels, inflammatory status and lipid profile in a cohort of ALL survivors, in order to investigate their potential role in the pathogenesis of CV late effects. Inclusion criteria were: a) previous diagnosis of ALL...

Retrospective study of patients with metastatic/progressive pheochromocytoma (PCC) and paraganglioma (PGL) treated with (131) I MIBG in our hospital during 2015–2018 period.Methods: There are no established criteria for establishing PCC/PGL as malignant apart from de presence of metastases at diagnosis. Radionuclide therapy (131) I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is frequently used in this patients when surgery is not possible. Indication of MIBG tre...

Introduction: Despite normal thyroid-stimulating hormone serum levels, up to 60% of hypothyroid patients are dissatisfied with the treatment. Animal studies suggest that the persistence of symptoms may derive from peripheral hypothyroidism. Combination treatment with levothyroxine and liothyronine is a theoretically plausible solution but its efficacy is still questionable.Aim: To evaluate the effects of personalized twice-daily combination therapy on pe...

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is the pregnancy hormone marketed as a drug for assisted reproduction technologies to support follicle-stimulating hormone action. Several hCG formulations are commercially available, differing in source, purification methods and biochemical composition. In this study, we investigated the molecular features and the intracellular signaling mediated by five urinary and recombinant hCGs. The drug comparisons were performed by quantifying the hor...