Endocrine Abstracts

Several Rab proteins control secretory granule trafficking and, hence, hormone release, by regulating the activity of different components of the secretory granule transport machinery. Particularly, Rab18 inhibits secretory granule movement, which leads to reduced neuropeptide and hormone secretion in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells and ACTH-secreting ATt20 cells, respectively, but how this GTPase accomplishes its role and the identity of the proteins that regulate Rab18 activity ...

GH deficiency (GHD) in adults is characterized by a tendency towards fat mass gain and may predispose to type 2 diabetes mellitus.GH replacement (GHR) is associated with impaired insulin sensitivity shortly after starting therapy, reflected by increased fasting glucose and insulin levels. Available evidence suggests that concerns regarding glucose intolerance in patients receiving long-term GHR have not been substantiated. However, several environmental and lifestyle-related f...

Nur77 is an orphan nuclear receptor included in the NR4A family. This protein has been studied as a transcriptional regulator of glucose metabolism in different tissues. We aimed to investigate the endogenous role of Nur77 on energy and metabolic homeostasis. For this purpose, we used male and female Nur77-deficient mice and their wild-type littermates. We challenged them to standard diet and high fat diet, and analyzed different parameters involved in energy balance (food int...

Context: In the background population, maternal TSH levels >2.5 mUI/l in late pregnancy have been reported to be associated with breech presentation. This has not been addressed in women treated with levothyroxine.Aim: Our aim was to study the relationship of 3rd trimester maternal TSH with caesarean section (CS) due to foetal malposition in pregnant women treated with levothyroxine since before pregnancy.Methods: We have studi...

Introduction: Childhood-onset hypopituitarism is an uncommon yet increasingly diagnosed disorder. As endocrinologists, we generally deal with the complexities of hormonal replacement and, when required, follow these patients to detect tumor recurrences. However, some causes of childhood- onset-hypopituitarism have comorbidities which can significantly increase morbi-mortality. We present the case of a 21-year-old girl who was diagnosed with ROHHAD syndrome.<p class="abstex...

Activating mutations in the gene encoding β-catenin have been identified in the paediatric form of human craniopharyngioma (adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma, ACP), an aggressive pituitary tumour accounting for up to 10% of paediatric intracranial tumours. Recently, we generated an ACP mouse model and revealed that, as in human ACP, nucleocytoplasmic accumulation of β-catenin (βcat-nc) and over-activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway occurs only in very fe...

Introduction: Neuroendocrine lesions in the thyroid gland are uncommon. The differential diagnosis usually includes medullary thyroid carcinoma, paraganglioma and metastases. There are few non-conclusive reports of primary neuroendocrine carcinomas of the thyroid.Clinical case: A 49-year-old woman with a past medical history for familial hypercholesterolemia and right oophorectomy for mature teratoma with struma ovarii, was evaluated for a rapidly growin...

Objective: Obesity is a major problem in pregnancy. Obesity has been associated with decreased vitamin D levels, diabetes and reproductive risks. Women were followed through pregnancy with frequent blood samples to determine any differences between lean and obese subjects. We present data on vitamin D levels through gestation in these subjects.Methods: Normal pregnant women at 6–9 weeks GA provided blood samples every 2 weeks and body weights were r...

67 y/o old female, with long history of hyperthyroidism, without treatment and hypertension. Two months prior to admission, she received amiodarone 200 mg daily due to cardiac arrhythmia. One week prior to admission, she developed symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure and weight loss. Family history: hyperthyroidism in two sisters. Physical examination: acutely ill, thin female, in moderate respiratory distress. Alert, oriented x 3.BP: 155/119 mmHg HR: 150.Prominent findings: m...

Somatic stem cells of multiple tissues such as brain, blood, gut epithelium and epidermis, have specific roles in tissue homeostasis and plasticity of cell types. There is evidence that when mutated, such cells, termed cancer stem cells (CSCs) also underlie tumorigenesis, but their presence in many tumours is elusive. In the pituitary gland, somatic stem cells (PSCs) have been previously identified and characterised but little is known about their role in tumorigenesis. Adaman...