Endocrine Abstracts

Epigenetic modifications and chromatin remodelling have been demonstrated to play a key role in the development, and progression of multiple cancers, and compounds regulating these mechanisms represent a novel class of anti-cancer drugs. Menin, which is encoded by the MEN1 gene, whose mutations result in a syndrome characterised by pituitary, parathyroid and pancreatic islet tumours, binds histone modifying enzymes, including the histone methyltransferase MLL1. Furthe...

A 68-year-old gentleman with hypertension and diet-controlled type 2 diabetes presented in September 2015 with weight loss, fatigue, low libido and cold intolerance.Blood results demonstrated secondary hypothyroidism (TSH 0.59 mU/l (reference 0.35–5.00), free T4 8.3 pmol/l (ref 9.0–21.0)), hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (testosterone 1.0 nmol/l (ref 10.0–36.0), FSH 1.5, LH 1.1) and a modestly elevated prolactin (795 mU/l (ref <400)). S...

JQ1 is a bromodomain inhibitor that specifically targets the BET protein family (comprising Brd2, Brd3, Brd4 and BrdT), which promote the transcription of genes by binding acetylated histone residues and recruiting transcriptional machinery. JQ1 has been shown to have efficacy in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumours, however the genes regulated by the BET family in endocrine tissues, particularly in the pituitary, have not been elucidated. We therefore performed RNA-Seq ana...

Background: Transsphenoidal surgery is the primary therapy in majority of Acromegaly patients with GH-secreting somatotroph adenomas. Reported outcomes of surgery show an initial remission rate of 40–50% for macroadenomas and >85% for microadenomas. Rates of hypopituitarism following endoscopic pituitary decompression vary between 5 and 25%. Invasion of cavernous sinus indicates the tumour is unlikely to be resectable.Methods: We audited the res...

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), occurring at multiple sites including the pancreas, lung and pituitary, are increasing in incidence and usually present at an advanced metastatic stage, and current medical treatments have limited efficacy. Epigenetic modifiers are promising new drugs, as mutations in the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) gene, encoding the histone methyltransferase MLL1 interacting protein, menin, are known to cause both familial and sporadic N...

Hypoglycaemia is a common and potentially life threatening presentation to Emergency Departments across the UK.It is often a result of medications for treatment of diabetes but other differentials include rarer reactive and fasting causes.This case report describes a 69 year old man who initially presented with right upper quadrant pain and weight loss which then lead to a diagnosis of inoperable hepatic sarcoma. He later presented with hypoglycaemia and Whipples triad in the ...

There are currently no curative treatments for metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PNETs), and the 5-year survival is <50%. Such tumours frequently have mutations in chromatin remodelling genes as well as the protein encoded by the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) gene, menin, which is mutated in up to 40% of sporadic PNETs, and binds the histone methyltransferase MLL1. Histone modifications, and specifically acetylated residues on histone tail...

Improved therapies for pancreatic and pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), which may occur in Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), are needed. We assessed the effects of pasireotide, a somatostatin analogue with high affinity for somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) −1, −2, −3 and −5, in a mouse model of MEN1. Men1+/− mice treated from 12 months of age with 40 μg/g pasireotide (n=71), or phosphate-buffered sal...

The Competency Framework for Adult Endocrine Nursing was launched at the Society for Endocrinology (SfE) BES conference in March 2013 and was made available to Endocrine nurses and Endocrine centres in the UK. It was also made accessible via the SfE website. Questionnaires were sent out 6 months later to audit its use.Results: 80.4% of nurse respondents had heard of the document and 69.6% had read it. 100% of those who had read it found it easy to use an...

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterised by the combined occurrence of parathyroid, pituitary and pancreatic islet tumours, and is due to mutations of the MEN1 gene, which encodes the tumour suppressor protein menin. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are non-coding single stranded RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Alterations in miRNA expression, including downregulation of two miRNAs, miR-15a and miR-16-1, have been r...