Endocrine Abstracts

The most robust biochemical marker for the diagnosis of PCOS is hyperandrogenism (androstenedione, testosterone), thought to originate from the ovaries and/or adrenals. However the change in circulating androgen/LH ratios with increasing body mass in women with PCOS suggests the autocrine generation of androgens within adipose tissue itself. The enzyme 17beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17betaHSD) which has seven human isoforms is an important regulator of sex steroid metabo...

11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11 beta-HSD2) is responsible for the conversion of hormonally active cortisol (F) to inactive cortisone (E), and is expressed in mineralocorticoid target tissues (kidney, colon). However, the most abundant source of this enzyme is human placenta, notably placental trophoblast where it is thought to protect the fetus from maternal hypercortisolaemia and play a role in fetal growth and development. During gestation placental trophobla...

Central obesity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Pre-adipocyte proliferation and differentiation contribute to increases in adipose tissue mass, yet the mechanisms that underpin these processes remain unclear. Patients with glucocorticoid excess develop central obesity, but circulating cortisol levels in idiopathic obesity are normal. The enzyme 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1) converts inactive cortisone (E) to active cortisol (F)...

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in pregnant women and associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including pre-eclampsia. Active vitamin-D (1,25(OH)2D3) exerts important non-classical immune-regulatory effects, and the maternal placenta (decidua) appears a key target. Uterine natural killer cells (uNKs) are the most prominent decidual immune cell during early pregnancy. Given their critical role in fetal implantation and placentation, we hypothesised uNKs are a local source...

Introduction: Low levels of vitamin D are associated with higher mortality in critically ill patients. Studies on vitamin D levels in adult burn patients and their influence on clinical outcomes are scarce. Therefore, vitamin D status following thermal injury is often overlooked as its clinical implications are poorly understood.Aim: To examine the relationship of major thermal injury on the vitamin D axis and the influence of ...

Reduced renal synthesis of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) from 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) in end stage renal disease (ESRD) results in low serum 1,25(OH)2D. This appears to be due to reduced renal cell function and elevated serum fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). Treatment strategies have therefore focussed on 1,25(OH)2D or its synthetic analogues, alfacalcidol or paricalcitol. However this overlooks 25-hydroxyv...

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in pregnant women and associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including pre-eclampsia. Active vitamin-D (1,25(OH)2D3) exerts important non-classical immune-regulatory effects, and the maternal placenta (decidua) appears a key target. Uterine natural killer cells (uNKs) are the most prominent decidual immune cell during early pregnancy. Given their critical role in fetal implantation and placentation, we hypothesised uNKs are a local source...

Introduction: Low levels of vitamin D are associated with higher mortality in critically ill patients. Studies on vitamin D levels in adult burn patients and their influence on clinical outcomes are scarce. Therefore, vitamin D status following thermal injury is often overlooked as its clinical implications are poorly understood.Aim: To examine the relationship of major thermal injury on the vitamin D axis and the influence of ...

Reduced renal synthesis of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) from 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) in end stage renal disease (ESRD) results in low serum 1,25(OH)2D. This appears to be due to reduced renal cell function and elevated serum fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). Treatment strategies have therefore focussed on 1,25(OH)2D or its synthetic analogues, alfacalcidol or paricalcitol. However this overlooks 25-hydroxyv...

Recent in-vitro studies have shown that vitamin D metabolites undergo conjugation reactions by sulfation and glucuronidation and may be important mechanisms for the inactivation, storage and excretion of analytes. However the circulating concentrations and clinical significance of phase II vitamin D conjugation is unclear as current analysis has almost exclusively been restricted to measuring their unconjugated metabolite forms. In this study we aimed to develop an analytical ...