Endocrine Abstracts

Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signals through activation of Smad transcription factors, which bind to Smad binding elements (SBEs) in target genes. TGFβ can promote cancer cell proliferation and invasion, and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of scleroderma and other fibrotic disorders. We have previously shown that the thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) can block tumor growth and invasion. We now have analyzed the possibility that TRs could antagonize TGF...

Neuroactive steroids synthesized in the brain, referred to as neurosteroids, have gained particular attention as they appear to be involved in the modulation of various neuroendocrine, behavioral and pathophysiological processes. Thus, the distribution of steroidogenic enzymes and the identification of the biochemical pathways leading to neurosteroid formation have now been almost completely elucidated in various groups of vertebrates. In contrast however, the neuronal mechani...

Type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) is the principal receptor for endocannabinoids in the brain which mainly occurs in preterminal/terminal axons and mediates retrograde neuronal signaling mechanisms. A large body of physiological and electrophysiological evidence indicates the critical role of CB1 in the regulation of hypothalamic functions. Conversely, the distribution of CB1-containing axons in the hypothalamus is essentially unknown. Therefore, we have analyzed the distribut...

There is now clear evidence that diverse corticotropic factors released by chromaffin cells, by nerve fibers innervating the adrenal cortex, by cells of the immune system and/or by the endothelium are involved in the local control of adrenocortical cell activity. The adrenal gland of lower vertebrates, notably amphibians, in which cortical and chromaffin cells are closely entangled, is a very suitable model to investigate the paracrine regulation of adrenocortical cells. The e...

In addition to expression in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, POMC is also expressed in a group of neurons in the caudal aspect of the nucleus of the solitary tract, the primary site of synapse of vagal afferent fibers. To test the hypothesis that the brainstem POMC neurons may be involved in satiety signaling, we assessed whether genetic or pharmacological blockade of MC4-R could attenuate the ability of CCK to inhibit food intake. CCK-8s was administered to female C5...

Background and aimsMetabolic syndrome (MetS) is a pathologic condition characterized by abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The prevalence of MetS parallels the rise of obesity rate reaching pandemic proportions due to the increased consumption of high-calories-high-fat-high-carbohydrates low-fibers diet associated with a sedentary lifestyle. MetS is associated with a plethora of comorbidities as non-alcoholic fatty liv...

The extrinsic gastrointestinal nervous system plays a key role in the sensing of nutrients and hormones and its translation in terms of control of food intake by the CNS. Regarding major macronutrients as glucose and protein, they are sensed by the gastrointestinal neural system and the transmission of the signals to the brain promotes satiety phenomena. Glucose is sensed in the portal vein by neurons expressing the glucose receptor SGLT3 and activates the main regions of the ...

Erythropoietin (Epo) treatment has been shown to induce mitochondrial biogenesis in cardiac muscle along with enhanced mitochondrial capacity in mice. We hypothesized that recombinant human Epo (rhEpo) treatment enhances skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacity in humans. In six healthy volunteers rhEpo was administered by s.c. injection over eight weeks with oral iron (100 mg) supplementation taken daily. Mitochondrial OXPHOS was quantified by...

Orexin-A are newly described family of orexigenic hypothalamic neuropeptides. The distribution of orexin immunoreactive fibers overlaps with the LHRH neuronal system in the septo-preoptic area and the arcuate nucleus-median eminence region. However, the actual role of the orexinergic system in the timing of puberty onset remains unexplored. The aim of the present study was to assess, in immature female and male rats, the effect of the orexinergic system on the reproductive axi...

Introducing: Hypothyroidism is the most common endocrinopathy causing rhabdomyolysis. Muscle manifestations are common in hypothyroidism, but myopathy is most often limited to discrete clinical signs such as myalgias, stiffness or cramps accompanied by a simple elevation of muscle enzymes. On the other hand, rhabdomyolysis associated with hypothyroidism is a rare diagnosis to our knowledge. We report a case of severe rhabdomyolysis in the setting of profound Hashimoto’s h...