Endocrine Abstracts

The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a major regulatory centre of energy homeostasis by possessing the unique capability of simultaneously controlling endocrine axes, water balance and autonomic functions. It receives neuronal information form orexigenic and anorexigenic cell groups of the basal hypothalamus that monitor peripheral metabolic signals (leptin, insulin, ghrelin, glucose, glucocorticoids) and also from brainstem centers relaying sensory information fr...

Introduction: Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a regulator of cellular and systemic energy homeostasis. Many of the changes seen in glucocorticoid excess correspond to the metabolic steps regulated by AMPK. In the hypothalamus and adipose tissues, glucocorticoids and cannabiniods share the same tissue specific effects on AMPK activity. Cannabinoids have central orexigenic and peripheral metabolic effects via the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1). The ...

Background: Cushing’s syndrome results from chronic exposure to excessive levels of glucocorticoids (GC). The clinical manifestations associated with hypercortisolaemia are variable and differ widely in severity, including hypertension, apparent obesity and metabolic aberrations such as diabetes, dyslipidaemia, ultimately leading to changes similar to the metabolic syndrome. We hypothesised that GC might influence the expression of the genes involved in lipogenesis and gl...

Cushing’s syndrome is characterized by a diverse set of clinical manifestations, including hypertension, apparent obesity and metabolic aberrations such as diabetes, dyslipidaemia, ultimately leading to the metabolic syndrome. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an intracellular energy sensor. It integrates nutritional and hormonal signals by switching on catabolic pathways, such as fatty acid oxidation and glycolysis and switching off anabolic pathways, such as fatty ...

We have recently reported that cannabinoids can stimulate hypothalamic and heart AMPK activity and can inhibit liver and adipose tissue AMPK activity in rats (Kola et al., JBC, 2005). These data are in accordance with the known orexigenic and adipogenic cannabinoid effects and also with their beneficial effects on the ischaemic heart. We have studied the effects of cannabinoids on AMPK activity in tissues from wild type (WT) and CB1 knockout (KO) mice to see if the CB1 ...

Background: Cushing’s syndrome results from chronic exposure to excessive levels of glucocorticoids (GC). The clinical manifestations associated with hypercortisolaemia are variable and differ widely in severity, including hypertension, apparent obesity and metabolic aberrations such as diabetes, dyslipidaemia, ultimately leading to changes similar to the metabolic syndrome. We hypothesised that GC might influence the expression of the genes involved in lipogenesis and gl...

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...

The pharmacological blockade of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) has been shown to counteract diet induced obesity (DIO). An unsolved question is whether the effects of CB1 blockade on energy balance are due to peripheral or central mechanisms. This is an important clinical issue since the CB1 antagonist drugs have recently been withdrawn from the market due to their psychiatric side effects, and novel drugs selectively acting at peripheral le...

We have previously shown that the orexigenic and peripheral adipogenic effects of ghrelin are mediated by its effect on the metabolic enzyme AMPK. As the cannabinoid (CB1)-antagonist rimonabant inhibits the orexigenic effect of ghrelin, we suggest that there is an interaction between cannabinoids and ghrelin.To study the involvement of CB1 in the effects of ghrelin, wild-type (WT) and CB1-knockout mice were treated with ghrelin and rimonabant.<p clas...

A 17-year-old boy was referred to our Department. In his medical history Crohn’s disease had been supposed because of abdominal pain and distention. He had previously undergone minor surgery as having large tongue with neuromas and hypertrophic gums. Due to his marfanoid appearance, arachnodactyly, massive eyebrows and lips together with his medical history, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B) was suspected, which is a very uncommon hereditary disease. It consist...