Endocrine Abstracts

T3 is essential for skeletal development and its actions are mediated by two nuclear receptors (TRs), with TR alpha (TRa) being functionally predominant in bone. The TRa1 isoform binds T3 with high affinity and activates target gene expression in response to hormone. TRa2, however, does not bind T3 or regulate transcription in response to hormone. Intriguingly, TRa2 is expressed at high levels from early in development in all tissues and is conserved in all mammals, although i...

T3-receptor alpha (TRa) is the predominant TR isoform in bone. To investigate its function, we analysed mice harbouring a dominant negative R384C mutation in TRa1 (TRa1m/+). The homozygous TRa1m/m mutation is lethal whereas heterozygotes are euthyroid displaying only transient postnatal hypothyroidism. Critically, dominant negative activity of the mutation is overcome by a 10-fold increase in T3, which is achieved by crossing TRa1m/+ mutants wi...

Introduction: Adult patients with craniopharyngioma (CP) and hypothalamic (HT) damage have impaired cognitive function. The white matter (WM) changes behind these findings remain to be elucidated. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a MRI technique that quantifies microstructural damage in the WM. This is the first study of DTI, hippocampal (HC) and HT volume in relation to cognition in CP patients.Methods: A cross-sectional study of childhood onset CP was...

Background/objectives: Hypothalamic obesity (HO) occurs in 50% of patients with the pituitary tumor Craniopharyngioma (CP). Attempts have been made to predict the risk of HO based on hypothalamic (HT) damage on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but none have included volumetry. Qualitative and quantitative (volumetric) analyses of HT damage was performed. The results were explored in relation to feeding related peptides and body fat.Subjects/methods: A c...