Endocrine Abstracts

Recent data indicate that steroid action can be completed through genomic (late) and non-genomic (rapid) mechanisms. Non-genomic androgen effects are initiated at the membrane level and imply specific secretory and signaling mechanisms different from the classical intracellular androgen receptor activation. In previous work we have reported that androgen membrane binding sites (Ambs) are present in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells. Their activation mediates a FAK/PI3K/Cdc42/R...

Background: Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is the gold standard method that evaluates the source of aldosterone overproduction in primary aldosteronism. During AVS aldosterone and cortisol are simultaneously measured in order to assess successful adrenal cannulation and lateralization of aldosterone overproduction. However, in patients with both adrenal cortisol and aldosterone overproduction, plasma metaneprhines and normetanephrines can be measured to overcome selectivity and...

We have previously shown that Corticotropin – releasing factor (CRF) and Urocortins (UCNs) induce the production of catecholamines from normal human and rat adrenal chromaffin and PC12 pheochomocytoma cells via induction of tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate limiting enzyme of catecholamine biosynthesis. We have also shown that CRF induces calcium ion entrance into the cytoplasm from both extracellular sources (influx) and from intracellular stores (mobilization) in PC12 cell...