Endocrine Abstracts

Recognition of male adult onset hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (HH) is important in identifying treatable forms of infertility, erectile dysfunction and osteoporosis.There are currently no evidence-based guidelines for diagnosing and treating HH.We evaluated the assessment, diagnosis, treatment strategies and outcome in adult men with suspected HH seen in our endocrine clinic over 1 year. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of pitu...

The peptide hormone ACTH can stimulate lipolysis and suppress leptin expression in murine adipocytes. These effects are mediated via the Melanocortin 2 Receptor (MC2-R), which is expressed when 3T3-L1 cells are induced to differentiate into adipocytes. In this study we have investigated the transcriptional activation of the MC2-R gene during adipogenesis.5' deletion analysis of the murine MC2-R promoter revealed the presence of a transcriptional enhancer...

In many centres a test dose (TD) of octreotide is administered prior to commencing LAR. The value of the TD as a predictor of subsequent response to therapy remains uncertain. We have studied the relationship of the GH response to a TD to the subsequent response to LAR in 26 patients (median age 59 years, range 20- 84). After baseline GH sampling, 50mcg subcutaneous octreotide was administered and sampling continued for six hours. Results of the TD were compared to the lowest ...

Background:.Quality of Life Assessment of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults (QoL-AGHDA) was designed for use in patients with GHD, a condition characterized amongst other things, by impairment in QoL. For use in cost-utility analysis outcomes should be measured on a scale of social preferences that assigns values of 1 and 0 to full health and dead. Condition-specific instruments may generate summary index scores but typically lack the legitimacy for use as measures of QoL ou...

Ghrelin, a newly discovered and unique peptide hormone activates the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) to potently induce growth hormone release. Ghrelin treatment rapidly increases serum growth hormone concentrations, as well as stimulating food intake in vivo. Our laboratory was the first to demonstrate that ghrelin increases the proliferation of the prostate cancer cell lines PC3 and LNCaP in vitro and that these cells express the GHS-R at the mRNA and protein le...

The Melanocortin 2 Receptor (MC2R) is best known for its role in the adrenal cortex where it couples the action of ACTH to steroidogenesis, however it is also expressed by the adipocyte. We set out to characterize the up-regulation of the MC2R in the 3T3-L1 fibroblast, which can be induced to undergo adipogenesis.RT-PCR using primers specific to exons 1 and 2 amplified three bands in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes which sequencing revealed to be distin...

A 54yr old female presented with a 12-month history of tremor, sweating, anxiety and occasional palpitations. There was no past medical or family history of note. On examination, she had a fine tremor but no neck masses or eye signs. Her FT4 20.8 pmol/l (8pmol/l-22pmol/l), FT3 7.3 pmol/l (3.5-6.5pmol/l) with a suppressed TSH less than 0.01mu/l (0.35mu/l-5.5mu/l); 99Tc scan showed an autonomous hot nodule in the right lower lobe of the thyroid with partial suppression of the re...

Background:Circulating levels of IGFBP-3 are inversely associated with the risk of developing colorectal cancers (CRC). In addition to modulating IGF bioavailability, IGFBP-3 also exerts independent pro-apoptotic effects. Furthermore, the mode of action of several apoptotic and antiproliferative agents, including vitamin D, has been shown to involve induction of IGFBP-3.Aims:To quantitate and compare IGFBP-3 ...

This 65 years old lady, who had undergone neck explorations for parathyroid adenoma in 1972 and 2000, presented with vomiting, lethargy, muscle weakness and polyuria. On admission, her serum Calcium was 2.98 mmol/l (2.18-2.63) with elevated parathyroid hormone of 151 pg/ml (10-70). A Thallium-Technetium parathyroid scan was normal but Octreotide scan showed an area of uptake in the superior mediastinum. A MIBI scan followed, which was unhelpful as were ultrasound scan of the n...

Introduction: Evaluation and management of thirst and polyuric syndromes can be challenging in endocrine practice.Case report: A 24-year old lady presented with weight loss, thirst, polyuria, vomiting and abdominal pain. She had acromegaly treated by transsphenoidal surgery 5 years ago. Medications included hydrocortisone, thyroxine (T4), the oral contraceptive pill as well as bromocriptine for postoperative acromegaly. Examination revealed postural hyp...