Endocrine Abstracts

The ret proto-oncogene (RET) encodes a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor of growth factors belonging to the glial-derived neurotrophic family, essential for the normal development of the kidneys, ureters, peripheral and enteric nervous system. Pathogenic variants in the RET gene result in multiple different phenotypes, which can range from isolated pathologies to multi-system disease, as a result of both loss and gain of RET function. Missense gain of function pathogenic ...

Background: Adrenal incidentalomas are common amongst the general population, incidence increases with age. Radiological and biochemical assessment of all lesions >1 cm is standard practice to determine appropriate future management, as per current European guidelines. We report the experiences of a recently formalised adrenal multi-disciplinary pathway in a large UK teaching hospital, where all adrenal incidentalomas are referred and systematically assessed.<p cl...

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...

Background: Cross-sectional imaging (e.g. CT/MRI) can not always reliably identify the site of ACTH secretion in Cushing’s disease (CD) or the ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS). We report our experience of localising the source of ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome, using functional imaging with 11C-methionine positron emission tomography (Met-PET).Methods: Forty consecutive patients with: (i) de novo ...

Background: BIPSS is considered the gold-standard procedure for differentiating autonomous pituitary [Cushing’s Disease (CD)] and ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS) sources of ACTH hypersecretion. A basal (i.e. unstimulated) pituitary:peripheral ACTH ratio >2, and/or a CRH stimulated pituitary:peripheral ACTH ratio >3, have been proposed as indicative of CD, with a range of sensitivities and specificities cited in the literature. Ad...

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...

Background: Cross-sectional imaging (e.g. CT/MRI) can not always reliably identify the site of ACTH secretion in Cushing’s disease (CD) or the ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS). We report our experience of localising the source of ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome, using functional imaging with 11C-methionine positron emission tomography (Met-PET).Methods: Forty consecutive patients with: (i) de novo ...

Background: BIPSS is considered the gold-standard procedure for differentiating autonomous pituitary [Cushing’s Disease (CD)] and ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS) sources of ACTH hypersecretion. A basal (i.e. unstimulated) pituitary:peripheral ACTH ratio >2, and/or a CRH stimulated pituitary:peripheral ACTH ratio >3, have been proposed as indicative of CD, with a range of sensitivities and specificities cited in the literature. Ad...

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in pregnant women. Active vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D3) exerts important non-classical immune-regulatory effects, and the maternal placenta (decidua) is a potential target for this. CD56+ -uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are the most prominent cell type in the decidua during early pregnancy. Given their critical role in foetal implantation and placentation, we hypothesised that uNK cells are a pivotal immunomodula...

Vitamin D metabolites such as 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D) circulate bound primarily to vitamin D binding protein (DBP). However, for most extra-renal tissues 25D uptake is independent of DBP, even though the ‘free’ 25D fraction is very small. DBP has a lower binding affinity for 25D2 compared to 25D3. We hypothesized that this would increase serum free 25D2, with possible variations in vitamin D function. Mice were placed on diets containing equal amounts (1000 IU/kg) ...