Endocrine Abstracts

In anterior pituitary reaggregate cell culture gamma3-MSH has a mitogenic effect on lactotrophs and augments PRL mRNA levels. Moreover, the peptide increases intracellular free calcium levels ([Ca2+]i) in a subpopulation of cells which is heterogenous with respect to expressed pituitary hormone mRNAs. The effect of gamma3-MSH on ([Ca2+]i is blocked by SHU9119, an MC3- and MC4R antagonist, in only 50% of the responsive cells, suggesting that in half of these cells the mediating...

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)is present, predominantly in latent forms, in normal and malignant breast tissue. The mechanisms by which TGF-beta is activated physiologically remain largely an enigma. The aim of this study was to assess whether the proteases, cathepsin D and PSA could activate latent TGF-beta 1 and 2 in the MCF-7 hormone responsive and MDA-MB-231 hormone unresponsive human breast cancer cell lines. For the experiments, 1 x 106cells were s...

The physiological effects of the pituitary hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) on the adrenal are mediated by the melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R), a G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) that signals via adenylate cyclase to elevate intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels. Therefore the expression and function of the receptor are likely to be the major determinants of the response to ACTH. Following repeated stimulation, the cAMP signal is diminished or desensitised. Desensi...

Various criteria have been proposed to diagnose and treat gestational diabetes due to uncertainties about the influence of mild degrees of maternal glucose intolerance on pregnancy outcomes. We used receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis to correlate macrosomia (more than or equal to 4000g) with varying thresholds for the 2 hour 75 gm oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results in pregnant women screened at our hospital from 1998-2001.Wom...

Management of Thyrotoxicosis in a Non-compliant Pregnant WomanA 23-year-old woman with Grave's disease presented to thyroid clinic 29 weeks into her first pregnancy having recently moved into the area. She had failed to attend hospital thyroid clinics elsewhere and frequently changed her address.Despite propylthiouracil 300 mg daily she had marked tremor, tachycardia 100 bpm, ophthalmopathy, and a large smooth goitre. TSH <0.0...

Introduction: The association of hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer (TC) is controversial with prevalences in the literature varying from 1.6 to 32.8%. The aim of this work was to evaluate the prevalence of TC in hyperthyroid patients submitted to surgery and to find differences between the tumors according to the type of hyperthyroidism.Material and methods: retrospective study to evaluate clinical and histopathological data of all hyperthyroid patients...

Insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3) is a testis-specific, Leydig cell derived hormone, which we recently demonstrated to play a role in bone metabolism. Young men with mutations in the gene for the INSL3 receptor (Relaxin family peptide 2, RXFP2) are at risk of reduced bone mass and osteoporosis. Consistent with the human phenotype, bone analyses of Rxfp2−/− mice showed decreased bone volume, alterations of the trabecular bone, reduced mineralizing surface, bo...

Art-painting, poetry, music, is an inexhaustible source of inspiration and motivation. Patient education (TPE) in chronic diseases is a long and tedious process. To achieve high motivation one must use all existing possibilities. Art is the most potent tool to influence the conscious and subconscious of a person to motivate him/her to adhere to treatment and healthy lifestyle. Literature, and mainly W. Shakespeare, could be used for TPE, as deep understanding of existing healt...

Context: Weight-reducing dietary intervention (DI) promotes an improvement in insulin sensitivity (IS) since early stage of the diet. The diet-induced changes of plasma levels of cytokines and chemokines that are expressed in adipose tissue (adipokines) have been suggested to play a role.Aim: To examine relationship between the diet-induced changes of IS (assessed using homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)) and those of plasma adi...

Water intake in central diabetes insipidus (CDI) usually falls in range of 3–20 l a day. Intake of more than 20 l is regarded as physiologically unnecessarily even in the absence of antidiuretic hormone. We describe a family with 8 members suffering from autosomal recessive form of CDI due to mutation C105Y (codon numeration is given for preprovasopressin) in AVP gene. In all family members disease had presented in neonatal period or early childhood. It is remarkable that...