Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects 5–10% of women of reproductive age. Hyperandrogenism and hyperinsulinaemia have been attributed to the pathophysiology of PCOS. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of fat distribution and insulin resistance on steroid metabolism in PCOS.Methods: The study recruited 20 PCOS and 20 matched controls. Fat distribution was assessed by waist circumference, skin fold measurements, and body ...

Context: Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene and is characterised by the presence of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, hypoparathyroidism and Addison’s disease. Patients typically display organ-specific autoantibodies which correlate with a particular clinical manifestation. Previous studies have identified the parathyroid-expressed calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) as an aut...

In Central and Eastern Cheshire, Secondary Care endocrinology/diabetes clinicians can now access a summary of the patient’s primary care electronic patient record (EPR), using a secure Web browser for GP data held by the GP provider EMIS. This improves decision making at the point of care.The clinicians, including consultants, SpRs, dieticians and specialist nurses can access details of medication, allergies, and previous diagnoses, available for 95...

Introduction: Factors determining remission and relapse in children with thyrotoxicosis include ethnicity, age and thyroid hormone levels at diagnosis. We investigated if similar factors influence remission and relapse in a contemporary cohort of children with autoimmune thyrotoxicosis treated by dose titration of carbimazole.Methods: Forty-seven children (39 females) with thyrotoxicosis, treated with carbimazole, were followed up for ≥2 years. Ini...

Synovial fibroblasts (SFs) form a substantial component of inflamed rheumatoid synovium and generate endogenous glucocorticoids (GCs) during inflammation. Recently, production of DKK-1 (a Wnt signalling inhibitor that reduces bone formation) by SFs in response to TNFα has been proposed to be the master regulator of inflammatory osteoporosis. We have identified that in addition to TNFα, GCs potently induce DKK-1 secretion. This may provide a novel mechanism whereby lo...

Meningitis is associated with high mortality and morbidity predominantly driven by meningeal inflammation. Herpes Simplex virus (HSV) is a major cause of viral meningitis typically progressing to HSV encephalitis. Numerous studies highlight the importance of glucocorticoids in lowering inflammation in bacterial meningitis, but very limited data exists on the use of glucocorticoids in viral meningitis. We aimed to characterise 11β-HSD1 (which interconverts inactive cortiso...

Background and aims: CXC chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) also known as chemokine interferon γ inducible protein (IP-10) is a CXCR3 chemokine belongs to a group of structurally related molecules, that induce the chemotaxis of diverse leukocyte subtypes including activated T-helper 1 lymphocytes, natural killer cells and monocytes. In patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, type 1 diabetes mellitus and Graves’ disease high levels of CXCL10 ligand in serum have been fo...

In adipose tissue, glucocorticoids (GC) are known to regulate lipogenesis and lipolysis. Hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (H6PDH), a protein located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) provides co-factor for the enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1), thus regulating the set point of its activity and allowing for tissue specific activation of GCs. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of lack of H6PDH on adipose tissue biology using the H6P...

High dose glucocorticoids are effective in suppressing inflammatory synovitis but have adverse effects on other connective tissues. In inflammatory arthritis glucocorticoids suppress the capacity of synovial fibroblasts (SFs) to recruit leukocytes to the joint whereas poor skin healing is due to impaired dermal fibroblast (DF) function. It is unknown whether these clinical differences are due to similar or distinct effects of glucocorticoids on fibroblast function.<p class...

The pre-receptor regulation of glucocorticoids is mediated by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (11β-HSD). The type 1 isoform is primarily responsible for the generation of active cortisol in tissues such as liver and adipose, whereas 11β-HSD2 regulates sodium and ion transport. Recently, we have shown the presence of functional 11β-HSD1 in the ciliary body of the eye where it is important in control of sodium transport, aqueous humour production and intrao...