Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The developmental stages of the ovarian follicle are characterized by changes of gonadotropin and steroid hormone receptor expression and their potential interactions on the surface of granulosa cells. In this study in vitro, we aim to evaluate whether the co-existing follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) form heteromers, which may play role in selecting the dominant ovarian follicle.<p class="abs...

The impairment of the parathyroid hormone (PTH) signaling pathway determines a group of related and highly heterogeneous disorders associated or not with the Albright’s hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) phenotype, classified as inactivating PTH/PTHrP signaling disorder (iPPSD). iPPSD features are rather difficult to be identified in some casesbecause manifestations are somewhat variable and some AHO characteristics are not specific to a specific disorder. Actually, besides...

Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) is a condition characterized by low grade chronic inflammation; increased levels of free light chains of immunoglobulins have been described; moreover, it shares some features with metabolic syndrome (MetS), including insulin resistance and oxidative stress, but with a different pattern of antioxidant response. Finally, it is known that GH, directly or via IGF-1 activity, influences many aspects of immune response; both humoral and cellula...

Abnormalities in thyroid hormone (TH) availability and/or metabolism have been hypothesized to contribute to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and to be a risk factor for stroke. Recently, 3-iodothyronamine (T1AM), an endogenous amine putatively derived from TH metabolism, gained interest for its ability to modulate the nervous and the vascular systems. In the present work, we studied the effect of T1AM on ischemia-induced synaptic dysfunction in the entorhinal cortex (EC), a bra...

Background: Pasireotide is a multi-ligand somatostatin analogue licensed in a long-acting release formulation (PAS-LAR) for the treatment of acromegaly. The real-life reports with PAS-LAR are still scanty.Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of PAS-LAR in patients with acromegaly.Patients and methods: Prospective observational multi-centre study enrolling acromegalics evaluated before (baseline) and 1, 6, 12, 24, and 36 mo...

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) can be sporadic or can arise in complex hereditary endocrine disorders such as multiple endocrine neoplasias (MENs), familial paragangliomatosis (FPGLs), neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), von Hippel–Lindau disease (VHL), tuberous sclerosis (TSC). It has been estimated that hereditary NET occurrence varies with site of origin of the tumour, representing 5–30% of all cases of NET. These rates seems to be an underestimation and novel mutation...

Thyroid nodules are common, but the incidence of thyroid cancer occurring within them is very low. Nonetheless, patients presenting with thyroid lumps are frequently worried that they have cancer, and the wait for a diagnosis to be confirmed or refuted is highly stressful. This presents challenges to the clinician, in determining who requires extensive investigations, and how best to reassure patients in whom this is not indicated. However, satisfied patients are more likely t...

Background: Early diagnosis of thyroid cancer has a significant impact on outcome. However, the identification of incidental microcarcinomas potentially leads to raised anxiety and overtreatment in some cases. Ultrasound (US) guided FNA is therefore the initial investigation of choice, and NICE recommends that patients presenting clinically with a thyroid lump or swelling should be seen by a specialist within two weeks of the referral. We launched a multidisciplinary thyroid l...

Introduction: Gonadal and erectile function in patients submitted to heart transplantation has not been previously investigated.Aim of the study: To evaluate gonadal and sexual function in patients successfully submitted to cardiac transplantation.Materials and methods: Fifty-two patients, aged 20–78 years (mean±S.D.: 54±15 years; range 20–78 years) transplanted 88±65 (range 4–220) month...

Introduction: Primary endocrine failure in β-Thal is caused by iron overload in epithelial cells and in interstitial macrophages. Autoimmune phenomena are not believed to play any significant role, although iron overload, through non-specific inflammatory process, could trigger autoimmunity, as recently suggested for the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus in β-Thal patients.Purpose: We investigated thyroid function and anti-thyroid autoantibodie...