Endocrine Abstracts

Leptin, a 167 aminoacid protein product of the ob gene, is an adipocyte-derived hormone that acts as a major regulator for food intake and energy homeostasis. Leptin is expressed mainly in white adipose tissue, but also in stomach and placenta. Leptin circulates in the serum in a free form or bound to leptin-binding proteins. Since its discovery, our understanding of leptin’s biological functions has expanded from antiobesity to broad effects on reproduction, hemat...

The successful establishment of pregnancy is dependent on appropriate embryo development and uterine receptivity. The latter consists of secretory transformation of the glandular epithelial cells followed by decidualisation of the stromal compartment during the mid to late secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. This phase of the cycle is also characterised by extensive tissue remodelling in the superficial layer of the endometrium in preparation for the invasion and implantat...

The goal of this study was to determine whether ghrelin increase the mean plasma concentration of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), growth hormone (GH), milk amount and constituents in the dairy goats. Animals were anesthetized throughout the surgery for stereotaxic methods and jugular wein cannulations. Nine goats were randomly divide into 3 groups. Each group received daily infusion of either 1 or 2 or 4 ug gherlin for 7 days into their third ventricle. Blood samples we...

Some 10-15% of the 1:1000 young adults who are cancer survivors, has survived a brain tumour. Increasing treatment efficacy and decreasing long-term disability are important human and economic aims.The growth failure of children with brain tumours is multifactorial. Cranial irradiation, blamed for late neurotoxicity, is increasingly substituted by chemotherapy, but the disease itself, surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy must contribute. Evolving irradiatio...

Pheochromocytoma can present as a sporadic or familial tumor. Classic syndromes include multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 caused by mutations of the RET gene, Von Hippel-Lindau disease by mutations of the VHL gene and neurofibromatosis by mutations of the NF 1 gene. In 2000 for familial neck paraganglioma the susceptibility gene of succinatedehydrogenasis subunit D, SDHD was identified and subsequently also shown to be mutated in a subset of familial and sporadic pheochromoc...

Clinically non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFA) are common anterior pituitary tumours, arising from a variety of pituitary cell types, but little is known of their pathogenesis. The vast majority of NFA are benign tumours; some of which may remain intrasellar, while others may exhibit expansive extrasellar growth and/or become invasive and infiltrate dura and bone. Pituitary carcinoma, defined as a tumour with subarachnoid, brain or systemic metastases is very rare. Determ...

The corpus luteum (CL) is a dynamic but transient endocrine gland. Although proliferation of hormone-producing cells ceases after ovulation, proliferation of endothelial cells is intense and the CL becomes highly vascularised. However, unless the CL is rescued by pregnancy, all these cells will die. Investigation of cell death in the CL offers an opportunity to study the mechanisms underlying regulated death of parenchymal and endothelial cells. Apoptosis is extensive in the C...

With the recent publication of the results of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of HRT we are at last developing the potential to assess the relative safety as well as the relative efficacy of preventative treatment. As detailed on the website of the Medicines Control Agency (www.mca.gov.uk), treatment with HRT is associated with an increased risk of cancer of the breast and ovary, of stroke and venous thromboembolism, together with an increased rate of surgery for gallstone...

Effect of GABA agonist on mean concentrations of growth hormone, thyroxine, triiodothyronine in the womenH Khazali, University of Tarbiat Modarres, Tehran, IranThe goal of this study was to determine whether injections ofGABA agonist increase the plasma concentration of thyroxine (T4) ,triiodothyronine (T3)and growth hormone (GH) in the women. Subgects were randomly divide into 4 groups...

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play critical roles in embryonic development, morphogenesis, blastocyst implantation, ovulation, post-partum uterine involution, endometrial cycling, bone remodelling and wound healing, and in diseases such as arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, tissue ulceration and fibrosis. Currently, twenty-four vertebrate MMPs have been reported. An important feature of the MMPs is that many of these genes are inducible by growth factors, cytokines...