Endocrine Abstracts

During the development in the thymus, a virgin repertoire of diverse TCR-αβ recognition specificities in immature T cells is selected through positive and negative selection to form a functionally competent and self-tolerant repertoire of mature T cells. Positive selection supports the survival of self-MHC-restricted thymocytes that receive low-affinity TCR engagement, whereas negative selection deletes potentially harmful self-reactive thymocytes upon high-affinity ...

Some but not all epidemiologic studies suggest an association between vitamin D deficiency and an increased incidence of asthma symptoms. Similar associations have been made with respiratory infections, e.g. influenza, tuberculosis. We are interested in the wider role of vitamin D in maintaining pulmonary health through the induction of both anti-microbial and regulatory pathways. We, and others, propose these are critical to controlling infections in the airways, whilst limit...

Introduction: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is multifactorial disease, caused by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences that provoke the development of inappropriate immune responses against thyroid on multiple levels and the initiation of a long-standing autoimmune reaction. Interaction between cellular and humoral immunity is base of HT’s pathogenesis. Our research focuses on the functional activity and the quantity of T regulatory an...

Introduction: Ghrelin, enhances appetite and increases food intake in healthy humans. The endogenous ligand ghrelin is the GH secretagogue receptor (GHSR), and effects of ghrelin are mediated via GHSR. The GHSR system plays a significant role in regulating the process of obesity and type 2 diabetes that are linked to metabolic syndrome (MS). Therefore, the GHSR gene 171C/T (rs495225) polymorphism is a good candidate for susceptibility to obesity and excellent MS.<p class="...

In the context of the cross-talk between the neuroendocrine and immune systems, it is well known that GH exerts physiological effects in central as well as peripheral compartments of the immune system. GH modulates a variety of thymic functions. For example, GH upregulates proliferation of thymocytes and thymic epithelial cells. Accordingly, GH-transgenic mice, as well as animals and humans treated with exogenous GH, exhibit an enhanced cellularity in the organ. GH also stimul...

A 52-year-old male patient with no past medical history of interest was admitted to our Endocrinology Unit with a clinical course developed in the last month of sudden polyuria, nocturia and polydipsia (8 liters/day) associated with bilateral low back and leg pain, a right-side nasal congestion with eye swelling and paresthesia. Physical examination revealed a doubtful thickening of the nasal mucosa and several two-cm- scattered erythematous disseminated skin lesions. Blood sa...

Background: Autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITD) similar in pathomorphology picture results in hyper- or hypothyreosis. The differences between Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) suggested that changes in the subsets of T-cells may have an influence on the course of this reaction.Methods: The study involved 90 children: 30 with GD, 30 with HT and the control group – 30 children. After thyroidectomy, standard histological examina...

In vitro expanded antigen specific CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), have been shown to suppress autoimmune diabetes, suggesting a novel approach to cellular immunotherapy for autoimmunity. However to interfere with ongoing disease requires at least 106 in vitro expanded antigen specific Tregs which are difficult to obtain from a polyclonal repertoire. Hence an alternative approach would be to instruct naïve or antigen specific CD4+T cells to ...

Context: Aberrant CD4+T cell function plays a critical role in the process of Graves’ disease (GD). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of T cell activation, proliferation and cytokine production. However, the contribution of miRNAs to CD4+T cell dysfunction in GD remains unclear.Objective: To investigate how certain miRNA causes aberrant CD4+T cell function in GD patients.Methods: We compared the expression pattern of...

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D), which is multifactorial, inherited and progressive chronic disorder, is characterised by hyperglycemia due to defects in insulin secretion and action. The sulfonylurea receptor (SUR1) and the insulin receptor (INSR) are critical elements in insulin-signalling pathways, and mutations in the SUR1 and INSR genes have been reported to have a role in determining susceptibility to T2D.The aim was to study whether the -3 C/T p...