Endocrine Abstracts

Prokineticin 2 (PK2) is a neuropeptide expressed in hypothalamic nuclei involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis, and has been shown to acutely reduce food intake in rodents. PK2 binds to and activates two G protein-coupled receptors, the PK receptor 1 (PKR1) and the PK receptor 2 (PKR2). We aimed to determine the sites and receptors which mediate the anorectic effects of peripherally administered PK2 within the CNS. We investigated neuronal activity in the hypothalamu...

Obesity is a major worldwide health problem with limited treatment options. Recent research has highlighted the importance of gastrointestinal (GI) nutrient sensing in the regulation of food intake and metabolism. Protein as a macronutrient induces the strongest feeling of satiety per calorie. However, different types of protein have varying effects on appetite, suggesting protein induced satiety may be due to the specific amino acids generated by protein digestion. We have id...

We have shown that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor type 4 (5-HT4R) agonists stimulate aldosterone production in patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA). Moreover, 5-HT-positive cells were observed in APA tissues and 5-HT4R mRNAs were markedly overexpressed in APAs in comparison with normal adrenals. All these results suggested that 5-HT produced by adrenal mast cells could be involved in the physiopathology of APAs. The aim of this work was to investigate the rol...

Introduction: The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and obesity are related, yet different complex diseases, with the same genes possibly playing different roles in each disease. INSIG2, an obesity-associated gene (by rs7566605 C/C genotype) is a good candidate for PCOS. Its genotypes were not associated with obesity in PCOS patients. To date, there are no published association studies of rs7566605 with PCOS itself.Aim: To perform a case-control associati...

Introduction: Monoclonality of pituitary adenomas is an established fact. Still, there are exceptions and polyclonality may correlate with aggressive tumor behavior. In order to test association of clonality with pituitary adenoma characteristics in a series from Romania, we implemented a protocol for X-chromosome inactivation analysis at the androgen receptor (AR) locus (HUMARA) and validated it in a number of tumor samples.Objective: To establish and v...

Introduction: Obesity caused health problems are increasing. Metabolic syndrome including obesity with insulin resistance, hypertension, and high blood lipid levels increases the risks of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. Many studies have reported that heme oxygenase (HO) inducers reduce insulin resistance and severity of inflammatory bowel disease. We investigate the anti-inflammatory effect, one among many positive effects, of regular recreational physical activity ...

In this talk I will describe several genes that have been implicated in the action of GH as it relates to aging. Much of the data is derived from two dwarf and one giant strain of mice produced in our laboratory that possess very different life spans. One of the dwarf lines contains a disruption of the GH receptor and binding protein gene (GHR/BP) (PNAS, 94:13215–13220, 1997). Homozygous GHR/BP ‘knockout’ mice (GHR/BP−/−) show severe postnatal growth...

Mice with targeted deletion of GH receptor (GHRKO mice) are GH resistant, small, hypoinsulinemic, very sensitive to insulin and remarkably long-lived. We have previously reported that these animals failed to respond to calorie restriction (CR) by additional increase in insulin sensitivity or extension of longevity. Because GHRKO mice are characterized by increased adiposity and adiposity is normally associated with insulin resistance rather than sensitivity, we hypothesized th...

For a long time it has been suggested that glucocorticoids (GC) mediate their effects solely on the genomic level. A number of studies reported an existence of rapid GC effects independent on gene expression. These effects may play an important role in stress response or during acute GC therapy. As far as we know, rapid inhibitory GC effects on glucose-induced secretion of insulin have been reported only in animals (1). The aim of our study was to evaluate effects of GC on ear...

In mammals, the preovulatory LH surge is thought to be triggered by enhanced release of GnRH into the hypothalamic–pituitary portal blood vessels. Recently, we discovered that the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) contains two distinct populations of GnRH-producing neurones. One of these populations expresses the traditional mammalian form of GnRH (i.e. GnRH-I) while the other expresses a more conserved vertebrate form of GnRH (i.e...