Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Diabetes is associated with multi-systemic complications. In male patients with diabetes, erectile dysfunction may be a worrisome condition and may result as an effect of diabetic complications, associated conditions such as hypertension and from the effects of drugs especially antihypertensives. Erectile dysfunction is increasingly being reported among diabetics with a resultant poor quality of life. This study seeks to determine the prevalence of erectile dysfunc...

Appreciation of hormonal control over mitochondrial function has increased over recent decades. Mitochondria adapt to the cellular environment through a variety of mechanisms; mitochondrial dynamics (fusion, fission, transfer) or through the signalling of a variety of proteins to induce mitophagy, depending on the cell stressor. In parallel, nuclear receptors and the production of their steroid hormone ligands within mitochondria have been a reoccurring incidental measurement....

Folliculostellate (FS) cells constitute around 10% of the adenohypophyseal cell population. Various functions of these non-endocrine cells have been elucidated, including the paracrine control of the function of local endocrine cells. FS cell development is currently very poorly understood. In this study FS cell appearance during embryonic chick development between pre-natal stages (st)17-37 was examined. Gene and protein expression of the FS marker proteins annexin A1 (AnxA1)...

The sonic hedgehog (shh) pathway is known to be essential for pituitary development but little is known of its role in adult pituitary. Patched1, encoded by the Patched1 (Ptch1) gene, is a receptor for shh expressed in all cell types of the anterior pituitary. Adult onset hypogonadotropic hypogonadism has been reported in a genetically engineered mouse line with deletion of Ptch1 using S100a4 promoter driven CRE recombinase expression which is restri...

Background: The presence of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adults offers an opportunity to examine inflammatory factors that may affect metabolic function in states of obesity. Gut-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is elevated in obesity, and initiates the innate immune response in white adipose tissue, has not been fully studied in BAT. The interactions between LPS, TLR4 and ß3-adrenergic receptors in BAT is unknown. ß3-adrenergic receptor ligands as CL 316,243...

Background: Besson A et al. described a patient with homozygous for C53S-hGH suffering from IGHD (JCEM2005 90:2493-9). They observed reduced ability of the mutant to bind and activate GHR in vitro. C53A-hGH lacks the disulfide bond between C53 and C165, which is conserved in GH/prolactin family.Methods: Mouse pituitary AtT-20 cells, HEK-293 and CHO-K1 cells were transfected with plasmids containing C53S, C53A or C53S/C165A cDNA. hGH from cell supernatant...

Introduction: We present a rare cause of hypoparathyroidism and hypocalcemia and implications of the same during pregnancy.Case report: A 22-year-old primigravida was referred to the antenatal endocrine clinic with a longstanding history of hypoparathyroidism with hypocalcaemia. She had short stature and extended digits relative to her height. She has been taking alfacalcidol 0.5 μg once a day and adcal D3 tablets and blood tests revealed low normal...

Introduction: Phaeochromocytoma is a rare condition. It presents with non-specific symptoms of palpitations, headache and hypertension. Such symptoms in a patient with background of previous medullary thyroid carcinoma cannot be ignored and would warrant further investigation to exclude MEN II.Case report: A 45-year-old gentleman presents with labile hypertension, headaches and palpitations. He has a history of a recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma pre...

Graves’ disease is a common autoimmune condition, and the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. A number of definitive treatment options for this disease exist, including radioiodine (RI) and surgery. Surgery is often reserved for patients for whom RI is contraindicated or who have previously failed other treatments, including radioactive iodine ablation (RIA). The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of total thyroidectomy at our institution as a pref...

Objective: Generously supported by IPSEN)-->Abscesses in pituitary adenomas are rare. Continuous progression and haematogenous spread of infections are considered the main pathogenic mechanisms. A standard therapeutic regimen does not exist.Methods: We report on the case of a 56-year-old male who had been treated with cabergoline for a macroprolactinoma for 4.5 years. The patient presented to our emergency room...