Endocrine Abstracts

The epithelial cells of the choroid plexus (CP) are responsible for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) secretion into the ventricles of the brain, which then drains principally into the dural sinuses. The balance between production and drainage, in part, facilitates a normal intracranial pressure. The secretion of sodium and anions by the CP, creates an osmotic gradient driving the movement of water into the ventricles. This mechanism is analogous to that found in the ocular ciliary ep...

11beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD) catalyses the interconversion of hormonally active cortisol (F) and inactive cortisone (E). 11beta-HSD1 is an NADP(H) dependent enzyme expressed in human liver and adipose that is targeted to the ER membrane with a lumenal catalytic domain. In vivo the enzyme acts predominantly as a reductase, generating F from E. The inherited condition, Apparent Cortisone Reductase Deficiency (ACRD) is a form of PCOS characterised by ACTH medi...

A 43-year old woman was referred to the endocrinologist due to resistant arterial hypertension with a history of bilateral adrenal hypertrophy. The first medical contact with the patient dates back to 2012 when she was admitted to the urology department. A CT scan of the abdomen revealed a bilateral adrenal mass, hypodens lesions in the liver and a small left kidney. Further imaging with MRI showed similar findings. The liver lesions were described as hemangiomas. Because of h...

Sepsis is a major clinical problem, caused by a hyperactive immune response following infection. Worldwide prevalence is estimated at 1.8 m/year and mortality at around 40%1. Protective effects of the endogenous anti-inflammatory protein annexin A1 have previously been shown in many models, including sepsis2. We therefore chose to investigate the role of the annexin A1 peptide mimetic, Ac2–26, in murine experimental endotoxaemia, and to ascertain whe...

Background: Patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) have chronic symptoms from hormone overproduction, tumor growth and metastasis, and side effects from prolonged treatment. We assessed the feasibility of using a digital health platform to recruit patients with NENs to evaluate symptoms and quality of life.Methods: eNET is a prospective, web-based, cohort study for patients with advanced NENs of any primary site, histologic grade, differentiation,...

Prostaglandin (PG) E2 acts through its receptors (EP1–4) to modulate myometrial contractions and cervical ripening at term gestation. Although uterine PGE2 biosynthesis is augmented with labour progression (Durn et al. 2008); functional EP1–4 receptors have yet to be determined. To characterise these receptors in gravid human myometrium, in vitro responses to selective and novel EP agonists were investigated b...

Desmoid tumours (DT) are a benign manifestation of familial adenomatous polyposis. The prevalent development in young fertile women, the regression during menopause or with tamoxifen treatment, underlie the potential role of estrogens and Estrogen Receptors (ERs) in the pathogenesis of these tumors. To investigate this hypothesis, the expression of ERs α and β in desmoid tumors derived cell cultures, the effects of 17βE2 and of raloxifene on DT cell p...

Previously we have demonstrated up-regulated expression of COX-2 and enhanced synthesis of PGE2 in cervical carcinomas. (Sales et al. 2001. J. Clin. Endocrinol Metab. 86(5):2243-2249). Enhanced PGE2 synthesis as a consequence of COX-2 overexpression has been associated with various carcinomas and is regarded as a promoter of neoplastic cell proliferation and angiogenesis. In sexually active women growth and invasiveness of neoplastic cervical cells may be...

Pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) and paragangliomas (PGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors. About 30-40% of these tumors are due to e germ-line mutation in one of the 13 main susceptibility genes which include: the tumor-suppressor gene VHL; the proto-oncogene RET; the tumor-suppressor gene Nf1; the genes encoding the four subunits of the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH); the SDHAF2/SDH5 gene that is responsible for the flavination of the SDHA subunit;...

Adiponectin, is an adipocyte derived hormone possess insulin-sensitizing, antiatherogenic, and antiinflammatory properties. The aim of this study to evaluate adiponectin levels at acromegalic patients according to healthy subjects in relation with ecocardiographic findings. We included 30 subjects (15 male, 15 female) were diagnosed as acromegaly and 30 healthy (10 male, 20 female) subjects. Mean ages of both group were similar. Serum glucose, insulin, GH, IGF1 (insulin like g...