Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Insulinomas are the most frequent cause of hypoglycemia and the most common functional endocrine pancreatic tumors. Whipple triad is often present and should alert to the diagnosis.Case report: A 36-year-old male was admitted in the emergency room with loss of consciousness, diaphoresis and blurred vision, and hypoglycemia (50 mg/dl). The patient recalled recurrent symptoms of diaphoresis, tremors and palpitations, sometimes with loss of co...

Introduction: Thyroid storm is a rare medical emergency with high mortality, which usually results from acute exacerbation of hyperthyroidism. Amiodarone is a highly used class III antiarrhythmic drug and amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis is an infrequent effect of this medication, whose treatment may be difficult.Case study: A 20-year old male with congenital cardiomyopathy (Fallot tetralogy and Ebstein anomaly), chronically medicated with amiodarone 20...

Introduction: Radioiodine treatment (RAIT) is an effective definitive treatment for Graves’ Disease (GD) and Toxic Nodular Goiter (TNG). The aim of this study was to analyze demographic and clinical factors affecting the outcome of RAIT in patients with hyperthyroidism.Methods: Retrospective review of patients treated with RAIT for hyperthyroidism. A fixed dose of 10 mCi was administered to patients with GD and 15 mCi to patients with TNG. Treatment...

Introduction: Abnormalities in cell cycle pathways, such as CDKN1B (p27) underexpression, have been identified in the pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas, but their underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. Ribosomal proteins have been recently related to pituitary tumorigenesis. In gastric cancer, RPS13 down-regulates p27 and promotes cell cycle progression; these mechanisms have not yet been explored in pituitary adenomas.Objective: To evaluate th...

Context: Pathogenesis underlying non functioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) formation and progression has not been well established. MEG3 is strongly expressed in the normal pituitary (NP) but not in NFPA derived from gonadotroph cells. High GSTP1 gene expression also seems to contribute to gonadotroph adenoma development. Recent reports indicate a role of miRNAs in the pituitary adenoma pathogenesis.Objective: To evaluate the expression of MEG3, DLK1, GST...

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether SUR2A (sulfonylurea receptor type 2A, ABCC9) MEF2a (myocyte enhancer factor-2a) and HIF1a (Hypoxia-inducible factor-1) can influence glucose uptake in oxidative muscle soleus by regulating GLUT4 expression.Methods: Insulin resistance was induced in male Wistar rats by inducing obesity with monosodium glutamate (MSG). At the age 3 months, half control and MSG-treated animals started receiving 0.1...

Evidences have suggested that the endocannabinoid system is overactive in obesity, resulting in enhanced endocannabinoid levels in both circulation and visceral adipose tissue. The cannabinoid CB1 receptor is expressed in the adipose tissue besides the brain. Few studies in vitro suggest that CB1 activation increases glucose uptake in adipocytes. The objective of the present study was to investigate the CB1 receptor modulation on glucose transporter GLUT4 expression, which is ...

Introduction: Insulin resistance results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors and it may be considered the primary cause of the development of metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is characterized by a reduced ability of insulin sensitivity tissues to respond to normal levels of the hormone. In these tissues, glucose transport stimulated by insulin occurs through the glucose transporter 4 and alterations in its expression are related to ...

Introduction: GLUT4 protein is the most important isoform of glucose transporters in skeletal muscle. Reduction in its content and/or translocation is related to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In skeletal muscle cells there is also an ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel with two subunits, sulfonylurea receptor type 2A, ABCC9 (SUR2A) and KIR6.2 (KCNJ11). In pancreatic B cells, this channel triggers insulin secretion in response to the rise in glucose levels...

Introduction: TSH-secreting adenomas represent <2% of pituitary tumors. Surgery and/or radiotherapy are primary treatment options. Somatostatin analogues and also dopamine agonists, represent valuable alternatives or adjuvant therapies.Objective: To report a case of euthyroidism and tumor stability achieved in a TSH-secreting pituitary macroadenoma, treated with octreotide-LAR, as first line therapy, and then added cabergoline. To review the efficacy...