Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology

ea0016s5.4 | Protein modifications - proteomics | ECE2008

Progesterone receptor responses modified by SUMO in the endometrium

Brosens Jan

Cyclic AMP sensitizes human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) to progesterone and promotes differentiation into decidual cells, a process indispensable for pregnancy. Our studies have shown that cAMP enhances progesterone responses, at least in part, by attenuating ligand-dependent sumoylation of the progesterone receptor (PR). In fact, decidualization is associated with global hyposumoylation and redistribution of SUMO-1 conjugates into distinct nuclear foci. This altered pat...

ea0005s26 | Prolactin: Novel Aspects | BES2003

Role and regulation of decidual PRL expression: Implications for pregnancy failure

Brosens J

In the human endometrium, the postovulatory rise in ovarian progesterone results in the influx of distinct local immune cells and induces the coordinated expression of certain gene sets that initially define a limited period of uterine receptivity and subsequently control differentiation of the stromal compartment (decidualisation). Decidualisation is critical for trophoblast invasion and the formation of a haemochorial placenta. Pathologically, a spectrum of reproductive diso...

ea0031p306 | Pituitary | SFEBES2013

Regulation of LH/CG receptor signaling in human endometrium and perturbations in recurrent pregnancy loss

West Camilla , Hanyaloglu Aylin , Brosens Jan

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent the largest family of signaling receptors in nature. Their diversity means they play key physiological roles and their dysfunction underlies many pathological conditions, thus they are the focus of many drug design programs due to their primary biological and clinical importance. Our objective is to understand the fundamental mechanisms regulating hormone signaling via GPCRs. Disruption of GPCRs regulation in humans underlies many ...

ea0011s60 | Steroid hormone receptors | ECE2006

Cell membrane receptors of steroid hormones

Brosens J , Huhtaniemi I , Gellersen B

Rapid activation of diverse signal transduction pathways is thought to play an integral role in the cellular responses to many steroid hormones, including progesterone. This sex steroid is essential for normal reproduction in nearly all species. The recent cloning of a G-protein coupled receptor with the properties of a membrane progestin receptor (mPR) in fish and the subsequent identification of three mammalian homologues (mPR-alpha, -beta, and -gamma) raised the possibility...

ea0034p332 | Reproduction | SFEBES2014

Regulation of the LH/CG receptor signalling in human endometrium

West Camilla , Hanyaloglu Aylin , Brosens Jan , Lavery Stuart , Panay Nick

It is well established that the interaction between an implanting embryo and the endometrium is essential for successful implantation and there is a variety of locally secreted factors within the uterine environment which underlies this maternal–fetal cross-talk. Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone secreted by the embryo and is essential during early stages of pregnancy to maintain progesterone production from the corpus luteum. Its receptor (LH/...

ea0011p674 | Reproduction | ECE2006

Transforming growth factor beta 1 and decidualisation of the human endometrium

Kane NM , Brosens J , Critchley HOD , Kelly RW

Introduction: Decidualisation of the endometrial stromal cell (ESC) is pivotal for successful implantation and is initiated in response to increasing progesterone levels. Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGFβ-1), a potent cytokine involved in many diverse cellular responses, is activated from the latent form in the mid-late secretory phase. Previous reports suggest that TGFβ-1 might oppose the action of progesterone, although no mechanism has been proposed. We hav...

ea0005oc2 | Reproduction and Development | BES2003

A functional polymorphism in the extrapituitary prolactin promoter has opposing effects on prolactin gene expression in T-lymphocytes and endometrial stromal cells but is not associated with unexplained recurrent miscarriages

Stevens A , Brintnell W , Worthington J , Zoumpoulidou G , Jivraj S , Regan L , Brosens J , Davis J

Prolactin is expressed in lymphoid cells and differentiating (decidualised) endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) under the control of an alternative upstream promoter, distinct from the pituitary-specific promoter. Local prolactin action may have immunomodulatory effects. Th1/Th2 imbalance may be an important cause of habitual abortions in man but the mechanism is unknown. Recently, we characterised a G/T SNP at position -1149 that altered prolactin production by lymphocytes, and ...

ea0064022 | Hyperparathyroidism in a patient with sickle cell disease | BES2019

Hyperparathyroidism in a patient with sickle cell disease

Nabila Bahar , Pascale Chasseur , Agnes Burniat

An 22-year-old patient with a history of homozygous sickle cell disease (complicated by multiple vaso-occlusive attacks) was referred to the endocrinologist for persistent hypercalcemia for more than one year (between 2.63 and 2.82 mmol/l, N: 2.15–2.50 mmol/l), associated with hypophosphoremia (0.71 mmol/l, N: 0.75–1.39 mmol/l) and elevation of parathyroid hormone (170 ng/l, N <49 ng/l). Cervical ultrasound did not show parathyroid adenoma, but parathyroid MIBI s...