Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Asprosin is a novel adipokine involved in appetite and glucose regulation. During obesity, circulating asprosin is increased, which leads to increased inflammation and can disrupt cellular functions such as mitochondrial respiration. Asthma is a comorbidity of obesity, with both diseases sharing an inflammatory profile and mitochondrial dysfunction. This study investigated the molecular links between asthma and obesity, by exploring whether asprosin causes mitochon...

Glucocorticoids (Gc) are potent anti-inflammatory steroids which mediate their effects by binding the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Following ligand binding, GR initiates rapid ‘non-genomic’ kinase signals in the cytoplasm, then translocates into the nucleus to mediate ‘genomic’ effects by binding DNA directly or tethering to other DNA bound transcription factors to modulate target gene expression. Little is known about how rapidly induced cytoplasm derived...

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive form of brain cancer with a median survival time of 12–15 months from diagnosis. Standard therapies utilise a combination of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Patients also receive high doses of the potent anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid (Gc), Dexamethasone (Dex).Recent studies show that patients receiving the highest dose of Dex also have reduced survival time. Defining pathways under Gc control relevant to GBM is necessa...

Aims: Studies have suggested that breath gases, including acetone, may be related to simultaneous blood glucose (BG) and blood ketone levels in adults with types 2 and 1 diabetes. We aimed to study these relationships in children and young people with type 1 diabetes to assess the efficacy of a simple breath test as a non-invasive means of diabetes monitoring.Methods: Gases were collected in breath bags and measurements were compared with capillary BG an...

Background: Thyroid disease is associated with BMI with hyperthyroidism causing weight loss and hypothyroidism leading to weight gain. However, the relation of body weight distribution to thyroid function in euthyroid individuals is unclear. This study assessed body composition in euthyroid women.Methods: Euthyroid women (n=1072) from the Osteoporosis and Ultrasound Study (OPUS), a population based cohort study recruited participants from 5 Europe...

The hypothalamo-pituitary–thyroid (HPT) axis maintains controlled systemic levels of thyroid hormone (TH). This is achieved through negative feedback via the hypothalamic arcuate and paraventricular nuclei. The effects of thyroid hormone in other hypothalamic nuclei are yet to be elucidated. Administration of triiodothyronine (T3, thyroid hormone) into the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMN) increases food intake in rats. Thyroid hormone activation and inac...

Meningitis is associated with high mortality and morbidity predominantly driven by meningeal inflammation. Herpes Simplex virus (HSV) is a major cause of viral meningitis typically progressing to HSV encephalitis. Numerous studies highlight the importance of glucocorticoids in lowering inflammation in bacterial meningitis, but very limited data exists on the use of glucocorticoids in viral meningitis. We aimed to characterise 11β-HSD1 (which interconverts inactive cortiso...

OPUS is a population-based prospective cohort study of post-menopausal women from five European cities. We investigated whether TSH, fT4 and fT3 are associated with fracture risk, bone mineral density (BMD) at hip and spine, bone formation (osteocalcin, procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide), bone resorption (N- and C-telopeptides of type 1 collagen, NTX, CTX), pulse rate, grip strength and balance. Vertebral fractures were determined at baseline and 6 years follow-up. Usin...

Aim: To assess whether adults in Scotland currently receiving growth hormone (GH) meet the NICE criteria for starting and continuing GH replacement.Methods: We surveyed all endocrinologists in Scotland and identified the main centres using GH replacement. A cross-sectional case note review was carried out of all patients commenced on GH.Results: About 208 patients (51% women; 24% professionals, 90% Caucasian) were identified, 69 of...

(This poster is based on OC33)...