Endocrine Abstracts

The recent original data concerning interrelationships between metabolic hormones (ghrelin, leptin, obestatin) and feeding, action of metabolic hormones on basic ovarian functions (proliferation, apoptosis, secretory activity, response to gonadotropins, oocyte maturation) and intracellular mechanisms of its action in different species (rabbit, pig, human, chicken) are reviewed. It was shown, that metabolic hormones ghrelin, leptin and obestatin can control proliferation, apopt...

Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are associated with an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates neuronal differentiation and synaptic plasticity and its decreased levels are supposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease and other disorders. Decreased circulating BDNF levels in obesity and type 2 diabetes were reported, however, it is unclear, whether BDNF might be associated with insulin resistan...

Background: Adiponectin is a protein hormone secreted by adipocytes. Its expression is higher in lean than in obese individuals and in women than in men. It inhibits expression of gluconeogenic enzymes and the rate of glucose production. It also stimulates glucose utilization and fatty acids oxidation. Adiponectin is encoded by a highly polymorphic ADIPOQ gene. The −11377C>G, −11391G>A, and −11426A>G ADIPOQ polymorphisms modulate cir...

Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) is a novel adipocytokine, which is believed to be involved in improvement of insulin sensitivity and pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.The aim of the study was comparative assessment of FGF-21 concentrations in serum of patients with type 2 diabetes and evaluation of possible relationships between the studied cytokine and selected clinical and biochemical parameters.Forty-four patients with type 2...

Introduction: Leptin is a protein hormone secreted mainly by adipose tissue. It exerts its function via ubiquitously expressed receptors (LEPR). A number of LEPR isoforms are known. Metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates, that, in part, depends on leptin, might deteriorate with age. Aging is associated with a decrease of the global methylation and with hypermethylation of some promoter-located CpG islands. Such hypermethylation results in transcription inhibition.<p class=...

Measuring of goiter by ultrasonography is one of the generally accepted methods for iodine nutrition assessment. Discordance between previously used and lately proposed thyroid volume (TV) reference values (TVRV) is the subject of discussion and makes it difficult to properly interpret the effects of iodine prophylaxis.Aim: To establish TVRV for Polish schoolchildren population.Material and methods: 2903 schoolchildren aged 6–...

A 53-year-old Asian supermarket produce supervisor was noted at work to have slurred speech, sweating, and to feel lightheaded. Paramedics were called and on arrival his capillary blood glucose (CBG) was 1.7 mmol/l. This rose to 2.7 mmol/l after he was given glucose gel followed by complex carbohydrate. He remained lightheaded so was taken to hospital. CBG on admission was 2.0 mmol/l, so samples were taken for plasma glucose, insulin, C-peptide and sulphonylurea screen. Plasma...

Visfatin, a protein secreted by the adipose tissue, might regulate insulin action. The aim of the present study was to assess serum visfatin concentration in obese women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and to estimate the relationships between serum visfatin concentration and insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, proinflammatory and proatherogenic factors.The study group consisted of 134 women: 30 overweight or obe...

One of the key actions of insulin is the regulation of glucose and lipid oxidation. Disturbances in substrate oxidation play an important role in the development of insulin resistance. Insulin action is inversely associated with circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines such as soluble TNF-α receptors (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2).The aim of the present study was to analyze the associations between serum sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 concentrations and glucose and lipid oxi...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is heterogeneous disorder, where insulin resistance might be involved in the development of endocrine and metabolic abnormalities. Insulin resistance is associated with the so-called metabolic inflexibility i.e. an impaired switch from lipid to glucose in response to insulin. The aim of the present study was to estimate glucose and lipid oxidation, metabolic flexibility and non-oxidative glucose metabolism in lean and obese PCOS patients.<p...