Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Pituitary adenomas are relatively common in the general population, but the pathogenesis of these tumours remains largely unknown. Recently, germline mutations have been described in the AIP (aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein) gene in several patients with familial isolated pituitary adenomas (FIPA). This gene is located on chromosome 11q13 and loss of heterozygosity at this locus as well as functional data from our group demonstrates a tumour suppresso...

Annexin-1 (ANXA1) is a 37 kDa calcium- and phospholipid-binding protein expressed abundantly in S100-positive folliculostellate (FS) cells in the anterior pituitary gland. ANXA1 is localised both intracellularly and on the cell surface in high density foci appearing at points of contact between the FS cells and the neighbouring secretory cells, where it has been demonstrated to mediate the glucocorticoid-induced negative feedback on the secretion of ACTH from corticotrophs. Gl...

W Wiersinga, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands AbstractWilmar M Wiersinga obtained his MD in Amsterdam in 1969 and his Board Certification in Internal Medicine in 1976. He obtained his PhD cum laude in 1979 at the University of Amsterdam on the thesis ‘The peripheral conversion of T4 into T3 and reverse T3’. Thereafter he spent two years as a research fellow at the UCLA with professors David...

Background: In a research setting, complex behavioural interventions are effective in changing lifestyle behaviour and inducing weight loss. However, these are viewed as requiring a high number of different health care professionals to be successful and thus few are available in the NHS setting. Here we describe how we developed and piloted a complex behavioural intervention for participants with severe morbid obesity.Methods: Using input from a psycholo...

Men with suppressed gonadotrophins, as induced by androgen-based contraceptive treatment, exhibit a 70% reduction in germ cell numbers (1). The mechanisms by which the germ cell populations are decreased are unknown. This study aimed to quantify the amount of germ cell apoptosis and proliferation and to identify the pathway(s) involved in gonadotrophin-induced germ cell loss in men. Testicular tissues from normal fertile men that received no treatment or testosterone (200 mg i...

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with increased incidence of low serum testosterone levels in men. Testosterone is known to be positively correlated with insulin sensitivity. Rosiglitazone is an insulin sensitizing agent that reduces insulin resistance by binding to PPAR gamma receptor. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Rosiglitazone on testosterone levels in hypogonadal men with Type 2 diabetes.This study was approved by BDG...

While iodine deficiency goitre is common worldwide, it is rarely described in the U.K. Vegan diet is the only real way for this deficiency to occur in the U.K. A MEDLINE search from 1966 revealed 1 reported case (Shaikh et al. Transient neonatal hypothyroidism due to a maternal vegan diet; Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism Jan 2003). We have identified 3 cases, which we will describe here.Case 1A 21-year-ol...

Peter J Leedman, Laboratory for Cancer Medicine and School of Medicine & Pharmacology, Perth, Australia AbstractPeter Leedman graduated in Medicine at the University of Western Australia (UWA) in 1981, then moved to Melbourne for specialist training in Endocrinology in 1988. He completed PhD studies at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) with Len Harrison in Melbourne in 1991 and a then p...

Richard Eastell, Bone Metabolism Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK AbstractProfessor Eastell is Professor of Bone Metabolism at the University of Sheffield where he is also Director of Research for Medicine. He is the Research Dean for the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and Deputy Director of the Division of Clinical Sciences (North) at the University of Sheffield. He is also the Director for R...

Sporadic Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is an uncommon thyroid cancer. The prevalence has been studied in two large European studies(1,2). Serum calcitonin provides a highly sensitive and specific tumour marker for this. We shall present a case which typifies the presentation of MTC and discuss its relevance.A 71-year-old gentleman of Italian descent was admitted in 2001 with left lower limb cellulitis. It was documented that he had an incidental goitre, that had been p...