Endocrine Abstracts

Calcium signaling plays a regulatory role in the events of cellular proliferation. In immunocytes such as T cells, B cells, mast cells and many other cell types, Ca2+ signals show to control the proliferation, differentiation, and function. Furthermore, Ca2+ has been shown to act as a second messenger to regulate innate immune cell function and activation. Here, we found that loss of Nckx3, a potassium-dependent Na+ /Ca2+</...

Background: CYP11B2 encodes a steroid 11/18-β-hydroxylase that functions in mitochondria in the zonaglomerulosa of the adrenal cortex to synthesize the mineralocorticoid aldosterone. The enzyme catalyzes three necessary reactions: 11-β-hydroxylation of 11-deoxycorticosterone (11-DOC) to corticosterone, 18-hydroxylation of corticosterone to 18-hydroxycorticosterone (18-OHB); and 18-oxidation of 18-hydroxycorticosterone to aldosterone. Aldosterone synthase (<e...

Introduction: It is rare for patients with morbid obesity to become pregnant without assisted reproductive support. Spontaneous conception of triplets and their successful delivery by caesarean section is hitherto unreported. We report the case of world’s heaviest mother to undergo caesarean section with good outcome for mother and the babies.Case history: A 24 year old lady was seen in the antenatal clinic at 11 weeks of pregnancy. She weighed 140 ...

Hydrocortisone reveals its action by activation of transcription of specific genes that is achieved by binding of hormones nuclear receptors (NRs) to cognate sites on DNA and recruiting coactivators of basal transcription machinery. NRs are able to overcome restricting conformation of chromatin by altering chromatin-remodeling machinery (chromatin-remodeling protein complexes, histone and nonhistone modifying enzymes). However, a possibility arise that genomic DNA accessibilit...

Midnight Cortisol RevisitedD Noimark, MT Barakat, K. Meeran, JF ToddEndocrine Unit, Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, LondonBackground: The diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome must be established before any attempt at differential diagnosis. The diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome can be made initially on an outpatient basis with the measurement of 24 hour urinary free cortisol ...

Midnight Cortisol RevisitedD Noimark, MT Barakat, K. Meeran, JF ToddEndocrine Unit, Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, LondonBackground: The diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome must be established before any attempt at differential diagnosis. The diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome can be made initially on an outpatient basis with the measurement of 24 hour urinary free cortisol ...

A 24-year old male who, was normal at birth, became listless and volume depleted at 3 weeks of age. Investigations yielded an Addisonian picture (serum Na+ 115 mmol/l; K+ 8.2 mmol/l; urea 15.8 mmol/l). Serum 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) levels were measured and found to be high (2,564 nmol/l). Urinary 17-oxosteroids and 17-OHP were also elevated. The neonate was thought to have 21-hydroxylase-deficient congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and therapy with fludrocortisone an...

The factors that establish and maintain adrenocortical zonation and proliferation are poorly understood but include the pituitary hormone adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH), angiotensin II and potassium. To examine this capsular gland preparations largely glomerulosa (zg) with some fasciculata (zf), were cultured in vitro in Eagles MEM (3.6mM K+) for 1, 4 and 8 days and exposed these treatments. Rat zona glomerulosa proliferative activity, as judged by the rate of DNA synthesis, was ...

Background: The adrenolytic agent mitotane is widely used in the adjuvant treatment of adrenocortical cancer, but its mechanism of action including potential effects on mRNA expression is poorly elucidated.Objective: To examine mitotane-induced mRNA expression changes in the H295R adrenocortical cancer cell line.Methods: Various concentrations of mitotane in different treatment periods (24–120 h) have been tested in cell viabi...

Diazoxide is an agonist of ATP sensitive K+ (KATP) channels in beta-cells and is used in the treatment of hyperinsulinism caused by insulinomas or Hyperinsulinism in Infancy (HI). The responsiveness of patients to diazoxide is highly variable and complicated by side-effects which include hypertension and hypertrichosis. The aim of this study was to examine the actions of a novel benzothiadiazine-derivative, BPDZ-154, on beta-cell KATP channels and insulin release. W...