Endocrine Abstracts

Human sulfation depends on provision of the universal sulfate donor PAPS by the two PAPS synthase isoforms PAPSS1 and PAPSS2. Mutations in PAPSS2 have been identified as a monogenic cause of androgen excess presenting with premature adrenarche and polycystic ovary syndrome, due to decreased sulfation of the androgen precursor DHEA by DHEA sulfotransferase (SULT2A1) and hence increased conversion of DHEA to active androgens (New Eng J Med 2009 360 (22)...

Background: Inappropriately high aldosterone in patients with primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA) is due to increased aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) activity. Selective in vivo imaging of overexpressed CYP11B2 in adrenals with positron emission tomography (PET) has not yet been achieved due to close homology of enzymes involved in aldosterone and cortisol (CYP11B1) synthesis.Aim: Synthesize a fluorine-18 labelled highly selective CYP11B2 inhibitor,...

The use of gallium-68 (68Ga) is rapidly expanding with new applications arising almost every week. Therefore, the global availability of this nuclide is a critical issue. 68Ga is currently sourced from commercial 68Ge/68Ga generators but their production is limited by the availability of the parent nuclide 68Ge. Alternatively, the use of a 68Zn salt solution in a liquid target has been proposed [1] [2]. With thi...

MEN1, autosomal dominant, is characterized by combined tumours of the parathyroid glands, pancreatic islet cells, and the anterior pituitary, sometimes associated with other endocrine (adrenocortical, foregut carcinoid) and nonendocrine (lipoma, angiofibroma, collagenoma, ependymoma, meningioma) tumors. It is caused by inactivating mutations of the MEN1 tumour suppressor gene (chromosome 11q13), encoding menin. Menin, involved in activation of gene transcription, regu...

The management of nonfunctioning adrenal masses is controversial. The size is usually the only criterion for surgical treatment. The objective was to study the progression of the tumor size and the follow-up of several cardiovascular risk parameters in patients with nonsurgical nonfunctioning adrenal masses.Retrospective longitudinal observational study of 24 patients (54.2% men) with nonfunctioning adenomas followed for five years without surgical treat...

Introduction and objective: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a rare kind of tumor that can have various locations. Pancreatic location is the most common after the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this report is to study the characteristics of neuroendocrine tumors located in the pancreatic gland (pNETs) at diagnosis.Material and methods: Descriptive and retrospective study about 22 patients diagnosed of pNET during the period 1993–2010 in our hos...

Somatostatin (SST), Cortistatin (CORT), Neuronostatin (NST) and their receptors [SST/CORT-receptors (sst1–5/sst5TMD4-TMD5) and NST-receptor (GPR107)] comprise a hormonal pleiotropic system involved in the regulation of multiple pathophysiological functions. Certain components of this system are dysregulated in endocrine-related cancers, including prostate cancer (PCa), wherein we have found that alterations in specific components of this regulatory system [i.e. NST-GPR10...

Bone has three main components: matrix, mostly made up of type 1 collagen, mineral, which is laid down on the matrix by osteoblasts, and bone cells: osteoclasts, which are derived from haemopoietic precursors, osteoclasts, which are of fibroblast precursor origin, and osteocytes, the most numerous, which are derived from osteoblasts.Osteoblasts operate under the influence of several humoral factors including PTH, 1,25(OH)2D and cytokines which...

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Most patients with type 1 diabetes, even children and adolescents, have residual insulin secretion at diagnosis. As long as this can be preserved blood glucose fluctuates less, and the risk of acute and late complications decreases. Gradually the autoimmune process will destroy β-cell function unless immune intervention can stop the destructive process.Several different interventions have been tried. The very first intervention with plasmapheresis m...