Endocrine Abstracts

Aim of the research: To study the visual complications rate in patients with different pituitary adenomas.Patients and methods: We observed 24 patients with different pituitary adenomas, among them 14 women and 10 men. Mean age of patients was 36.4 years-old. According to the ethiology pattern patients were divided as follow; 17 patients with non-functioning pituitary adenomas, 1 patient with craniopharingioma, 2 patients with Cushing disease, 2 patients...

Background: Recently, germline mutations in the aryl-hydrocarbon-receptor-interacting-protein (AIP) gene have been found to occur in familial and sometimes in early onset sporadic somatotroph adenomas. These tumours tend to respond less well to somatostatin analogues (SSA). It has been shown previously that AIP can upregulate the transcription factor Zac1 in liver cells, and we were able to also demonstrate this in pituitary cells. On the other hand, Zac1 is upregulated in res...

Background: Pituitary adenomas are relatively common in the general population, but the pathogenesis of these tumours remains largely unknown. Recently, germline mutations have been described in the AIP (aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein) gene in several patients with familial isolated pituitary adenomas (FIPA). This gene is located on chromosome 11q13 and loss of heterozygosity at this locus as well as functional data from our group demonstrates a tumour suppresso...

Background: Pituitary adenomas usually occur as sporadic tumours, but familial cases are increasingly identified. Patients of 15–40% with familial-isolated-pituitary-adenoma (FIPA) harbour germline mutations in the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor interacting gene (AIP). AIP is thought to act as a tumour suppressor gene, with loss of heterozygosity shown in pituitary tumour samples at the 11q13 locus, where AIP is located. Previously we have shown AIP has properties consistent w...

Background: Recently mutations in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein (AIP) gene have been found to occur in familial and sporadic somatotroph adenomas. These tumours tend to respond less well to somatostatin analogues, are diagnosed at an earlier age and behave more aggressively. AIP is expressed in sporadic somatotroph adenomas (Leontiou, JCEM, 2008).Aim: To evaluate the change in AIP immunostaining in sporadic acromegaly patients treated...

Aim: Aim of research is to study special features of pituitary adenoma (PA).Materials and methods: Seventy-four operations on CST were performed. Outcomes of surgery in 66 patients with PA were analyzed. Age of patients at surgery was from 18 to 71 years. Mean age of patients – 44 years. Four patients (6%) had a corticotropinoma, 11 patients (17%) had somatotropinoma, 11 patients (17%) had prolactinoma and remaining 40 patients (60%) had non-functio...

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal dominant negative disorder characterised by the occurrence of multiple adenomas including hyperplasia and/or neoplasm of the parathyroid glands, pancreatic islets and pituitary glands. Germline mutations in the menin gene predispose to the MEN1 syndrome; however, about 10–20% of patients with MEN1 do not have a detectable menin mutation. Recently, a mouse strain with a MEN1-like phenotype has been re...

Background: AMPK is a metabolic enzyme regulating the energy supply of the cell but it has antiproliferative effects as well via the up-regulation of the p53-p21 axis and inhibition of the mTOR-pathway. Somatostatin (SST) analogues reduce hormone secretion from somatotroph adenomas and tumour growth inhibition can also be achieved. SST affect several signalling pathways including the mTOR-pathway. mTOR is a mediator of a pro-proliferative pathway that can be inhibited by activ...

Background Ghrelin stimulates cell proliferation in a number of tissues including pituitary. AMPK, a heterotrimer kinase enzyme, is an important sensor and regulator of cellular energy balance. We have shown that ghrelin can change AMPK activity in various tissues and this mechanism could play a role in its metabolic effects. AMPK has recently been established to strongly inhibit cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. We therefore hypothesised that ghrelin stimulates cell proli...

A 47 year old Macedonian Personal Trainer presented with 4 days of vomiting, abdominal pain and profuse sweating. He admitted abusing anabolic steroids 20 years previously but never insulin. The presenting capillary blood glucose (CBG) was 1.7 mmol/L, blood pressure (BP) 182/106 mmHg, pulse 62 bpm. On examination, he was sweaty, pale and cold. Blood was drawn for measurement of insulin, C-peptide, glucose, cortisol and thyroid function tests. He was treated with 50% dextrose a...