Endocrine Abstracts

In Graves' disease (GD), it is recognised that isolation of the rare pathogenic autoantibodies that stimulate the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) would assist in understanding disease pathogenesis. To date, monoclonal antibodies (mabs) to the TSHR with thyroid stimulating activity (TSAbs) have been isolated from experimental models of GD which are 100 fold weaker than the reported single human mab with strong TSAb activity. We describe two novel IgG mabs from a murine model of GD ...

In previous work we demonstrated that various adipokines, including leptin and resistin, were expressed in the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary gland. We hypothesized that a practical approach to investigate the putative central role of such factors would be to selectively silence gene expression by RNA interference (RNAi). We tested this hypothesis using model in vitro systems : C6 glioblastoma cells , which we reported express leptin, and 3T3-L1 adipocytes which are known...

Clinic based studies have shown that patients with Addison's disease have relatively high rates of depression and anxiety symptoms compared with population-based reference samples. Addison's disease results in deficiency of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA-sulphate in addition to glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids. DHEA is thought to have beneficial effects on energy level and mood, independent of circulating testosterone levels. Thus there may be a direct link betwe...

Triple A syndrome is is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterised by achalasia, alacrima, adrenocorticotropin-resistant adrenal insufficiency and a variable and progressive neurological phenotype. The AAAS gene encodes a 60kD WD-repeat nuclear pore protein named ALADIN (alacrima, achalasia, adrenal insufficiency neurologic disorder); its function and tissue distribution are unknown. In this study we performed in situ hybridization with 35S end-labelled AAAS mRNA oligon...

In vitro human thyroid follicular cells have been shown to secrete vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs). VEGFs transduce their effects by binding to their receptors, VEGFRs, leading to receptor phosphorylation and recruitment of downstream signalling molecules. Using RT-PCR we found that normal human thyroid follicular cells in culture express VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3. Western blotting using antisera specific for phosphotyrosine at 1214 of the GRB2 SH2 bindin...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the effect of treatment with orlistat versus metformin on the hormonal and biochemical features of patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)METHODS: 21 Caucasian women with PCOS (mean plus/minus SEM, age 27 plus/minus 0.9 years, and body mass index 36.7 plus/minus 3.3) participated in this prospective, randomised, open labelled, study. All subjects had an eight week run in period of dietary modification and then ...

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) have an age-adjusted incidence of 1.2-2.1 per 100,000. We have studied 36 such patients with NETs who are being followed up in our multidisciplinary clinic. Of these 36 patients, there are 17 males (median age 71, range 55-88) and 19 females (median age 66, range 36-79). The presenting features were highly variable; only three patients (8.3 percent) presented with the carcinoid syndrome, eight patients (22.2 percent) presented with small bowel obs...

Leptin is a hormone produced mainly from adipose tissue, which plays a major role in energy homeostasis. Its receptor Ob-R exists in five splice variants (Ob-Ra, b, c, d and e) with differing signal transduction abilities. The function of leptin and its receptor in development is not yet fully understood. This study determined the expression of leptin and its receptor in a number of fetal endocrine tissues.Tissue samples were obtained from 7 fetal sheep ...

A 62 year old woman presented in May 2001 with a one year history of palpitations. A 24 hour tape showed a short run of supra ventricular tachycardia only.In December 2001 she was admitted with palpitations, presyncope and a labile blood pressure. Systolic pressures of 150-186mmHg and diastolic pressures of 95-112mmHg were recorded. 24 hour urine collection for catecholamines revealed normal adrenaline levels but elevated noradrenaline at 5265 nanomols p...

A 62 year old woman presented in May 2001 with a one year history of palpitations. A 24 hour tape showed a short run of supra ventricular tachycardia only.In December 2001 she was admitted with palpitations, presyncope and a labile blood pressure. Systolic pressures of 150-186mmHg and diastolic pressures of 95-112mmHg were recorded. 24 hour urine collection for catecholamines revealed normal adrenaline levels but elevated noradrenaline at 5265 nanomols p...