Endocrine Abstracts

Ligand-activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), a nuclear hormone receptor, dimerises with retinoid X receptor(RXR) and acts as a transcription factor translating nutritional, pharmacological and metabolic stimuli into changes in gene expression. PPARgamma is thought to serve several roles in adipocyte differentiation, fatty acid and lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity and ovarian steroidogenesis. PPARgamma has also been shown to increase gluco...

In vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes obtained from medium sized antral follicles could avoid the need for superovulation for in vitro fertilisation. FSH is routinely added to culture media during IVM but the effects on oocyte health are unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of FSH on 1) the metabolic activity of individual mouse cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) matured in vitro,and 2) the genesis of chromosomal abnormalities. 274 mouse COC...

Background: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are in increased risk of hypothalamic−pituitary−gonadal axis disruption. We aimed to explore changes in androgen hormones during first impatient rehabilitation and identify factors associated with their levels among participants from the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort (SwiSCI) cohort.Methods: We measured sex hormones using Enyzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay in persons with a newly aquired...

Introduction: Changes in the gut microbiome have been associated with the development of obesity. The aim of the present study was to examine i) the effect of a formula based very-low-calorie weight loss diet (VLCD) on the gut microbiome of obese humans and ii) whether if potential changes are sustained during weight maintenance.Patients and methods: The study consisted of 3 months VLCD (~800 kcal/d) followed by 3 months of weight maintenance. 18 obese h...

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest endocrine disorder in women and polycystic ovaries are characterized by excess ovarian stroma that has implications for disordered follicle development in PCOS. The factors contributing to proliferation and increased density of stroma remain unclear but local overproduction of androgens may be involved.Aim: To examine differential expression of genes that regulate key proteins that comprise ...

Case history: A 58 year old woman presented to her GP when her family members noted prominence of her left eye. She had a background history of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Her main symptom of PCOS was hirsutism. She had been treated initially with the combined oral contraceptive pill ‘Dianette’ (ethinyloestradiol/cyproterone) but had also been treated intermittently with varying doses of 25–100 mg cyproterone acetate (CPA) 10 days/cycle. Post menopause she...

The factors responsible for regulating primordial follicle activation and early preantral follicle growth remain poorly understood, despite their importance in determining a female’s reproductive lifespan. The essential role of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family of receptors (ErbBs) during ovulation is well established; however there is emerging evidence that ErbBs may also be important regulators of early follicle development. This study aimed to investigate the ro...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy that is associated with an adverse metabolic profile including insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia. Hyperandrogenism is the hallmark of PCOS and obesity increases androgen synthesis, partly due to accompanying hyperinsulinemia but also as a result of adipokines affecting ovarian steroidogenesis (Comim et al., 2013, PLoS ONE 8(11). Adipokines are factors secreted by adipose tissue and while a clear link betwe...

We have reviewed the outcome of a low-dose step-up regimen for induction of ovulation in clomiphene-unresponsive women with PCOS and in women with hypothalamic hypogonadism (HH), treated at a single centre. Data from 366 women with PCOS and 80 with HH (1165 records) were entered into a FileMakerPro database, refined and constrained to allow stratification and analysis of relevant data. 85% of cycles were ovulatory in both PCOS and HH. PCOS patients were more likely to have cyc...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy is associated with an adverse metabolic profile including obesity, insulin resistance, and dyslipidaemia. Hyperandrogenism is the hallmark of PCOS and androgen production is increased in the presence of increased adiposity. While a clear link between obesity and the severity of PCOS exists, the relationship between hyperandrogenism and adipose tissue is less clear. Interestingly, women with PCOS and raised androgen le...