Endocrine Abstracts

Neurotensin is widely expressed in the brain and gastrointestinal tract. Centrally, neurotensin acts as a neuropeptide to suppress appetite, induce hypothermia and modulate analgesia. Peripherally, neurotensin inhibits gastric emptying and is reported to aid lipid absorption. There is also evidence that neurotensin can influence glucose homeostasis, though this role is contentious. We have found that neurotensin acutely improves insulin release and glucose tolerance in mice, a...

Defects in any of the four functional domains of the androgen receptor (AR) (resulting from loss-of-function or gain-of-function mutations), may affect androgen action. Specific AR splice variants have been reported in women with PCOS (Wang et al, PNAS 2015 112 4743). In this study we sought to identify AR splice variants in granulosa-lutein (GL) cells of women with and without PCOS and to assess their functional significance. GL cells were ...

Background: Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is a promising radiation-based therapy for metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) but remains palliative. Peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (Pin1) is an evolutionally conserved enzyme that catalyzes the cis-trans isomerization of phosphorylated serine/threonine-proline motifs of its substrates and has recently been involved in DNA double strand break (DSB) repair in BRCA-proficient breast cancer cells. Here we study w...

Background: Central hypothyroidism can be difficult to diagnose as TSH values often reside within the normal range. The Endocrine Society clinical guideline for hormone replacement in hypopituitarism suggests levothyroxine is indicated for treatment of secondary hypothyroidism where fT4 levels decrease by ≥20%. To determine the reliability of this biochemical marker of secondary hypothyroidism we evaluated evolution of TFTs over time within a cohort of NFPA.<p class=...

Background: Appendiceal neuroendocrine tumours (aNETs) are usually diagnosed incidentally at appendicectomy, are indolent and rarely recur.Methods: We retrospectively analysed patients diagnosed with aNETs and entered prospectively into our tertiary referring centre’s NET database between 1990 and 2016.Results: 102 patients (F:M ratio of 1.04:1) presented with aNET at a median age of 39.4 (range 16.3–81.1) years. Average ...

Background: Current ENET guidelines inform our management of GCCs but we still have poor understanding of how these tumours behave in clinical practice.Methods: We retrospectively analysed patients diagnosed with GCCs and entered prospectively into our tertiary referring centre’s NET database between 1990 and 2016.Results: 41 patients (F:M ratio of 1.28:1) presented with GCC at a median age of 61 (range 27–79) years. Aver...

Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract often cause carcinoid syndrome and in advance cases carcinoid heart disease. These tumours secrete serotonin, which can bind to heart valves and cause fibrosis and eventually valve incompetence. Most cases involve the tricuspid valve +/− pulmonary valve. Medical management comprises diuretics for fluid overload and somatostatin analogues to reduce circulating serotonin. Definitive treatment is heart-valve...

Introduction: Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a very rare systemic musculoskeletal disease characterised by low tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The prevalence of HPP and its associated morbidity in an adult setting is unclear.Methods: A search for serum ALP results less than 36 IU/l within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde between 2017 and 2018 revealed 16 280 results. A further search for patients with two ALP <36 separated by 30 days or more ...

Introduction: Obesity-associated psychopathological co-morbidities have a negative impact on quality of life. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) has been shown to ameliorate psychological health, however, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Changes in gastrointestinal and central neuroendocrine signalling have been postulated as mediators of psychological and eating behaviour changes following RYGB. Here we assess the impact of subcutaneous infusions of th...

Introduction: Exercise in the heat can impose significant physiological strain and may result in incapacity, illness and death from exertional heat stroke (EHS). The adrenocortical response to exercise is known to be amplified with concurrent heat stress, suggesting the potential utility of cortisol measurement in dynamic surveillance for heat intolerance. In laboratory conditions, a standard Heat Tolerance Assessment (HTA) may be used to determine thermal tolerance to exercis...