Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Current drug treatment options for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) are rather limited and intensive efforts are going on to find novel effective agents. In our previous functional genomics study, retinoid signalling via the retinoid X receptor (RXR) was identified as a major pathogenic pathway in ACC and we have demonstrated the in vitro activity of 9-cis retinoic acid (9-cisRA) acting via the RXR on NCI-H295R cells and also found that 9-cisRA has antitumou...

Introduction: Insulinoma is a rare tumor of the beta cells of the pancreas. The clinical manifestation is diverse with hypoglycemia and autonomic neurological symptoms. For diagnosis the Whipple’s triad needs to be present: signs of hypoglycemia, glucose level under 3 mmol/l and the cessation of symptoms after administration of iv. glucose. The fasting test confirms the diagnosis. The most commonly used imaging techniques that may localize the tumor are the abdominal ult...

Background: The ’three-genes’ (SFN, MRC2, HMGA2) might have direct role in various cancer progression and malignant thyroid conditions. We previously reported an increased expression of 1,25-D3 neutralizing enzyme, (24-hydroxylase – CYP24A1) as a possible novel marker gene in thyroid carcinoma. In this study, we examined the transcription activity of CYP24A1 and ‘three-genes’ in four functional subgroups of papillary thyroid tumor (PTC)....

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) cells and immune cells can kill each other by death ligands. Death ligands induce apoptosis only in sensitive cells. The sensitivity to apoptosis is regulated in a complex and poorly understood manner. The aim of this study was to investigate the Fas ligand (FasL) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) expression in PTC cells and tumor infiltrating immune cells. Twenty-six PTCs without and fifteen PTCs with cervical l...

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often results in long-term pituitary insufficiency. Regular endocrine screening of TBI patients is advised after the acute phase of the treatment period. We monitored pituitary functions in 32 TBI patients (28 men, 4 women). Endocrine tests were performed from 3 to 36 months after the brain injury. Thyroid functions, cortisol and ACTH levels, prolactin, sex hormone concentrations, GH/IGF1 axis and posterior pituitary function were evaluated. Additi...

It is well known that hypophyseotrophic dopamine (DA) exhibits a tonic inhibitory effect on pituitary lactotrops in vivo. We have previously observed that prolactin (PRL) cells obtained from lactating rats become partially resistant to DA following a brief suckling period compared to non-suckled control female rats. This, so-called “desensitization” (and a parallel appearance of “tolerance”) to DA is mediated through by a selective change of protein phospha...

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is rarely associated with the development of acute pancreatitis (AP). The incidence of AP induced by hypercalcemia in PHPT varies between 1.5 and 7%. PHPT is most commonly caused by parathyroid adenoma and infrequently by parathyroid hyperplasia, carcinoma or cyst and multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) types 1 and 2A. The present case is a 48-year-old man referred to our service for further investigation 1 month after an acute hemorrhagic nec...

Aim: Chemerin, a recently discovered adipokine produced by the adipose tissue and liver, along with other atherosclerosis markers, was associated lately with metabolic syndrome and acts as chemoattractant for immune cells may also regulate immune cell properties. Autoimmune Hashimoto’s thyroiditis even with sTSH levels corrected to be within the normal range values may be accompanied by dyslipidemia presenting increased total-C, TG, LDL-C, and Lp(a), all of which are pote...

IntroductionIn the background of persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia the insulinomas of the pancreatic beta cells may be present, but in some rare cases we fail to identify a well-defined lesion and the insulin hypersecretion is caused by nesidioblastosis, a diffuse proliferation of the pancreatic islet cells. However, the localization of the lesion is necessary for proper treatment, in certain cases finding the insulinoma is difficult and can only ...

TSH producing pituitary adenomas are a rare cause of thyrotoxicosis. These tumors account for only 1–2% of the pituitary adenomas. Co-secretion occurs in 30% of thyrotropinomas and requires careful investigation and subsequent follow up.A 43-year-old male presented with hand tremor and tachycardia. He was found to have elevated TSH, free T4 (FT4) and free T3 (FT3), but did not get treatment for years. In 2019 he developed atrial fibrillation. TSH wa...