Endocrine Abstracts

C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) acts via its specific membrane-bound guanylyl cyclase receptor, GC-B, to stimulate cGMP production. Stimulation of cGMP impinges upon PKG and PKA signalling, leading to cell proliferation and cell cycle events. In endothelial cells, CNP is thought to perform a predominantly anti-mitogenic role, but the role of CNP on cell proliferation, cell cycle and DNA synthesis in pituitary cell lines has yet to be established. Using the mouse gonadotroph-d...

Objectives: Obesity is associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk. We investigated whether the measurement of obesity-related biomarkers could enhance the prediction of cardiovascular (CVD) events when used in conjunction with traditional risk factors.Methods: We studied subjects in the Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factors Prevalence Study 2 (CRISPS 2) cohort without previous cardiovascular disease. Baseline serum levels of several biomarkers kn...

The high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), mediator of atherosclerotic disease, is known to be a sensitive predictor of coronary heart disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Aims: To evaluate the relationship of hs-CRP levels to metabolic syndrome (MS) and albuminuria in T2DM.Methods: Four hundred and eighty-eight T2DM subjects were recruited. Patients with hs-CRP ≥10 mg/l, creatinine ≥1.4 mg/dl, chronic infl...

Parafollicular C-Cells represent 1% of thyroid cells and differ from follicular cells for their origin from the neural crest. At variance with follicular cells, their growth and function are independent from thyrotropin stimulating hormone (TSH), they do not take up iodine and they produce and secrete calcitonin (CT) but not thyroglobulin. C-Cell Hyperplasia (CCH) is defined as an increased number of normal C-cells (i.e. 50 or more C-cells in at least one low-power field (100&...

IntroductionBased on the evidence available back then, in 2015 we developed a provincial multicenter protocol for screening and follow up of no-index patients with SDHB and SDHC mutations.Objectives1. To evaluate the performance of the protocol designed for the follow-up of asymptomatic SDHB and C carriers. 2. To describe the penetrance of manifestations associated with hereditary PGL-FEO syndromes type 3 and...

Introduction: In endocrine tumours, such as that of the breast, the protein survivin has emerged as a unique regulator of cell death. We have previously shown that bFGF regulates survivin expression through the MAP kinase cascade. The transcriptional complex myc/max is an oncogene that lies downstream of the MAP kinase pathway suggesting a possible role in survivin's regulation.Aim: To determine if bFGF can mediate survivin expression by signalling throu...

Introduction: The thyroid is a multifaced endocrine gland. By its hormones it has an effect on almost all organs of the body, metabolism and defence system too. The relationship between the thyroid hormones and the nonspecific defence system has been less studied.Aim: To study and prove whether the endogenous thyroxin (FT4) is involved in the nonspecific defence system of the organism. We followed the correlation between the FT4 and...

Background: Serum cystatin C is a novel marker for kidney function that has been claimed to be superior to serum creatinine. Cystatin C concentrations increased in the hyperthyroid patients and decreased in the hypothyroid patients. The cystatin C test detects kidney disease at earlier stages, before symptoms appear and creatinine levels rise. Another advantage is that, unlike creatinine, blood levels of cystatin C are less influenced by age, gender, race, or lean muscle mass,...

Previously, we have described an inhibitory role of melatonin (Mel) in the expression of StAR and key steroidogenic enzymes, as well as in the regulation of testosterone production in testes of Syrian hamsters. The goal of the present work was to further investigate the signaling pathway involves in the testicular action of Mel. Thus, Leydig cells were purified from reproductively active hamsters killed by asphyxia with carbon dioxide, and incubated in the presence of Mel and ...

Background: C-peptide is an amino-acid chain which is an equimolar marker of endogenous insulin. It is used to investigate the cause of non-diabetic hypoglycaemia and classification of diabetes. C-peptide can only be interpreted with a paired venous glucose <3 mmol/l for non-diabetic hypoglycaemia, and >4 mmol/l for diabetes classification.Aims and Objectives: To determine if: 1. C-peptide tests were requested for appropriate indication 2. Tests ...