Endocrine Abstracts

Obesity is strictly connected with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). However, we still do not know whether a form of PCOS secondary to obesity exists or whether obesity exacerbates manifestations of the syndrome. To answer this question we contacted seventy obese patients with PCOS that attended our Endocrinology Unit in the last 3 years and that lose weight after at least 6 months of dietary treatment. Sixty-five out of 70 patients agreed to take part to the study and gave th...

It is well known that cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1) antagonist drugs may reduce body weight and improve metabolic profiles in obese animals and humans by a double mechanism: at first, targeting mesolimbic and hypothalamic nuclei and, thereafter, peripheral organs involved in energy storage and expenditure. However, it is still unknown which of these sites of action may have a predominant role in the endocannabinoid effect on energy balance regulation. To solve this questio...

The endocannabinoid system has recently emerged as an important modulator of several functions of adipose tissue by altering cell proliferation and gene expression. In this work, we investigated the effects of CB1 activation/blockade in mouse 3T3-L1 adypocite cells by using WIN55,212, a CB1/CB2 agonist and rimonabant, a specific CB1 antagonist, in different experimental settings such as acute treatment on pre-adipocytes and on mature adipocytes, and chronic treatment during di...

Among the uncertainties surrounding the etiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) the role of increased peripheral cortisol metabolism has become interesting, particularly in relationship to the pathogenesis of adrenal hyperandrogenism. The patways of cortisol metabolism include irreversible inactivation of cortisol by 5α- and 5β-reductase. To evaluate the association of 5α- and 5β-reductase activity with adrenal hyperandrogenism in PCOS, we recruited 90...

Aim: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) in a cohort of young Mediterranean women with PCOS in reproductive age and to evaluate the association of the MS with clinical and biochemical parameters.Setting: Among 200 PCOS (17-31 years) criteria of MS in accordance with the “NCEP-ATPIII” were used to construct 3 groups: no one criteria, 1 or 2 criteria and 3 or more criteria (affected by MS). All p...

Congenital morphological alteration of anterior and/or posterior pituitary lobes is a rare disease often associated with isolated or multiple hormonal deficiency. In this study we re-evaluated 24 adult patients, 20 males and 4 females, (23–46 years), in whom Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) showed congenital morphological alteration of the gland. Twenty out of 24 patients presented with an association of hypoplasic adenohypophysis and ectopic neurohypophysis, while 4 pres...

Context: The endocannabinoid system (ECS) hypertonicity contributes to obesity development and maintenance. Excess circulating levels of ECS mediator 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2AG) were reported in obese humans, however, unstandardized experimental settings (i.e. analytical conditions, sample size, concurrent diseases/medications, statistics, gender, body mass index (BMI) and age), clouded its role in dysmetabolism and its usefulness as biomarker. The study aimed at describing 2...

Context: Ageing and obesity are similarly characterized by metabolic impairment in terms of visceral fat, dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance and hypertension. Obesity is featured by endocannabinoid system (ECS) hyperactivation. Increased levels of endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2AG) found in obesity were variously associated to dysmetabolic features, however, it is not clear whether such associations exist in normal weight conditions. Moreover, ageing contribute in mod...

Objective: To measure the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) and assess their relationships with metabolic features in patients with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Methods: 267 women, aged 20–35 years (24.7±4.9): 167 with PCOS, 100 healthy women as a control group were studied. Study groups were divided according to body mass index (BMI). Biochemical and hormonal parameters, 25(OH)D, VDBP were mea...

Low testosterone (T) levels are often found in obese men with metabolic abnormalities, however the mechanism underling this condition is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of clomiphene citrate (CC) in increasing T levels and improving metabolic control in hypogonadal obese men with IGT or DM2. A randomized cross-over double blind controlled study was conducted in twenty obese hypogonadal caucasian men, mean age 47 ys, classified in IGT (n=11) or ...