Endocrine Abstracts

Obesity has long been recognized as an independent risk factor in heart failure. The mechanisms proposed to explain this correlation include hemodynamic changes secondary to obesity, leading to left ventricular remodeling and systolic dysfunction, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by increased lipid accumulation into cardiomyocytes. Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ that secretes a wide variety of bioactive factors, which seem to mediate communication between adipose tiss...

Objectives: Alterations in glucocorticoid (GC) metabolism may contribute to the development of obesity and insulin resistance. We aimed to study the role of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2) in human adiposity, paying special attention to the association between altered GC metabolism and insulin sensitivity.Design: In 24-h urine samples of 72 extremely obese (mean BMI 45.5±1.1 kg/m2), but otherwise healthy patie...

Background: In experimental studies, a high fluid intake and a corresponding high urine volume have been shown to increase renal excretion rates of urinary free cortisol (UFF) and cortisone (UFE) in adults. We aimed to examine whether 24-h urinary steroid excretion rates are also affected by urine volume in children.Methods: In 24-h urine samples of 100 prepubertal and 100 pubertal healthy children UFF, UFE, tetrahydrocortisol, 5α-tetrahydrocortisol...

Background: In patients with hypercortisolism, who are frequently obese, the prevalence of urolithiasis is increased and urinary excretion rates of calcium (Ca), oxalate (Ox), and uric acid (UA) are regularly elevated. In the present study, we examined whether these lithogenic factors are already associated with dietary intakes, body fat, and cortisol metabolites in free-living children.Methods: In 24-h urine samples of healthy children (150 boys, 150 gi...

Adrenal crisis (AC) is a rare but life-threatening complication in chronic adrenal failure. Here we evaluated frequency, causes and potential risk factors of AC in a large sample of patients with primary AI (PAI) or secondary AI (SAI).In a cross-sectional study 883 patients with AI were contacted by mail. 526 patients agreed to participate and received a disease specific questionnaire. Diagnoses and co-morbidities were verified by review of medical recor...

Leptin acts not only as an anorexigenic hormone but is also involved in the regulation of cell-mediated immunity. However, since the impact of leptin on NK cells is currently elusive, we investigated the body weight-dependent leptin effects on NK cells numbers and function.In a first set of experiments leptin and MADB106 tumor cells were injected intravenously in male lean and diet-induced obese Lewis and F344 rats. In a second set of experiments an i...

Objective: The exopeptidase dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (Dpp4) selectively cleaves N-terminal dipeptides from several substrates, including cytokines, growth factors, neuropeptides, and the incretin hormones. The systemic inhibition of Dpp4 by the so-called gliptins (oral Dpp4 inhibitors) represents an effective and established treatment option for type 2 diabetes (T2D). In the current study we investigated in healthy as well as in obese and diabetic mice if a liver selective knock...

Subtype identification is necessary for making diagnostic and therapeutic decisions in primary aldosteronism. We studied clinical, hormonal and histological features of sporadic solitary aldosterone- and cortisol-cosecreting (C/APA) adenomas in detail.We here present the endocrine evaluation at baseline, after suppression with fludrocortisone and dexamethasone as well as after therapy with spironolactone and after unilateral adrenalectomy in two patients...

BackgroundLong-term effects of an increase in unsaturated fatty acids and protein on changes in intrahepatocellular lipids (IHL) are still unclear. We aimed to explore the impact of changes in individual macronutrients on IHL changes within the NutriAct intervention trial over 12 months in middle-aged and elderly subjects (50–80 yrs) at risk for age-related diseases.DesignIn the NutriAct randomized contr...

Determining the sequence of events controlling preadipocyte commitment and subsequent terminal differentiation into adipocytes is critical to gain insight into brown and white fat physiology and metabolic dysfunction. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression and emerging evidence supports their involvement in adipogenesis and adipose metabolism. The aim of this study is to 1) identify miRNAs that modulate differentiation or function of white and brown adi...