Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Diabetes mobile phone applications (hereafter referred to as diabetes apps) are a promising tool for self-management. Due to the ubiquitous, low cost, interactive and dynamic health promotion, and there is potential for a cost-effective intervention in diabetes self-care. However, there is uncertainty of the clinical effectiveness.Objectives: To investigate the effect of mobile phone applications on glycemic control in the self -management of...

Background: X-rays of the left hand and wrist are used to assess skeletal maturity. The Tanner-Whitehouse 3 (TW3) scoring method provides a framework for calculating bone age but specifies exact hand position. We noted a number of poor quality films, caused by difficulty with hand placement, e.g. scrunching of the fingers. This compromises the ability to score accurately and in a proportion necessitates re-X-ray, resulting in additional time, cost and radiation exposure. We in...

Background: Bone age studies require X-ray of the left hand and wrist to assess skeletal maturity. The Tanner-Whitehouse 3 (TW3) scoring method provides an objective framework for calculating bone age and specifies exact placement of the hand. In our service we have noted a number of poor quality films, caused by difficulty with hand placement, e.g. scrunching of the fingers. This compromises the ability to score accurately and in a proportion necessitates re-X-ray, with time,...

Human studies indicate that local glucocorticoid (GC) generation within osteoblasts plays a critical role in various bone diseases. Human osteoblasts express the enzyme 11b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11b-HSD1) that converts inactive GCs (cortisone, dehydrocorticosterone) to their active counterparts (cortisol, corticosterone). This activation capacity critically depends on expression of a cofactor generating enzyme hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Enzyme expression ...

Human studies have suggested that local glucocorticoid (GC) generation within osteoblasts plays a critical role in bone loss seen during aging, in response to inflammation and treatment with GCs. Human osteoblasts express the enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) that converts inactive GCs (cortisone, dehydrocorticosterone, prednisone) to their active counterparts (cortisol, corticosterone, prednisolone). Enzyme expression increases with age, in r...

In humans, glucocorticoids (GC) are implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity and insulin resistance. GCs are regulated at the prereceptor level by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (11β-HSD). 11β-HSD type 1 (11β-HSD1) predominantly displays oxo-reductase activity, converting cortisone in man, 11-dehydrocorticosterone in rodents, to cortisol and corticosterone respectively – a reaction requiring the cofactor NADPH. The generation of a hexose-6-phosphate ...

Steroid sulphatase (STS) liberates sulphated oestrogens into their active forms. In the colon, evidence suggests that although initially pro-apoptotic in healthy mucosa, once malignancy occurs, oestrogens may stimulate colorectal cancer (CRC) proliferation. Moreover, greater intratumoural oestrogen synthesis is negatively associated with survival outcomes in CRC patients. However, little is known about oestrogen metabolism pathways in CRC, and whether alterations in local oest...

Steroid sulphatase (STS) is the primary enzyme for desulphating steroids from their inactive to their active forms. Principal substrates include steroid precursors oestrone-sulphate and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Alterations in STS activity can directly affect local concentrations of oestradiol, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone; steroids that are frequently dysregulated in disease. Despite the importance of STS activity on steroid synthesis, little is known about its ...

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide with incidence expected to rise. Although not traditionally viewed as a hormonal cancer, evidence suggests peripheral synthesis of active oestrogens worsens prognosis. Oestrogen metabolising enzymes include steroid sulphatase (STS), which desulphates oestrogens into their active forms, and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (17βHSD), which are estrogen oxidoreductase enzymes. We have previously shown ST...

In humans, glucocorticoids (GC) are implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity and insulin resistance. In adipose tissue, GCs are regulated at the prereceptor level by oxo-reductase activity of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases type 1 (11β-HSD1). The hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase null mouse (H6PDH/KO) has shown that H6PDH is required for generating NADPH within the endoplasmic reticulum which determines the direction of 11β-HSD1 enzyme. We have shown that mRNA f...