Endocrine Abstracts

Synthetic glucocorticoids bind to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and have been used for nearly 70 years to treat inflammatory diseases. However, their use is limited by adverse effects such as diabetes, muscle wasting and osteoporosis. High throughput screening identified a novel non-steroidal scaffold with great potential for chemical optimization. Through rational design we developed the indazole ether series which combines high potency with structural motifs that provide ...

As one of the oldest targets for molecular imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy, characterization of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) as a novel reporter and suicide gene offers the possibility of NIS gene transfer in nonthyroidal tumors followed by diagnostic and therapeutic application of radioiodine. Our previous work has convincingly demonstrated the high efficacy of radionuclide therapy after tumor-selective NIS gene delivery. As logical consequence of our pioneer s...

Aims/hypothesis: The initial avascular period following islet transplantation seriously compromises graft function and survival. Enhancing graft revascularization to improve engraftment has been attempted through virus-based delivery of angiogenic triggers, but risks associated with viral vectors have hampered clinical translation. In vitro transcribed mRNA transfection circumvents these risks and may be used for improving islet engraftment.Meth...

Introduction: Nutritional status in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), especially with gastroenteropancreatic origin, may be affected and have an impact on prognosis and survival. Different techniques are currently available to assess nutritional status, but not all of them are accessible in routine clinical practice. In this context, Body composition of NET patients was calculated by computed tomography (CT) at L3 level to evaluate its importance on clinical prognosi...

Objective: Glucocorticoid-induced adrenal insufficiency is highly prevalent, but the clinical consequences are not fully understood. Therefore, the indication of adding stress dosages of glucocorticoid during ongoing anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid treatment remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of adrenal function on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients receiving ongoing low-dose prednisolone treatment.Methods...

Hormonal signalling plays a key role in the progression of metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the role of somatostatin (SST), cortistatin (CORT), neuronostatin (NST) and ghrelin systems in MAFLD-HCC progression has not yet been elucidated. We characterized the role of SST/CORT/NST and ghrelin systems in chronic liver disease and evaluated their clinical potential. The expression of the components of the SS...

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) are commonly benign catecholamine-producing neuroendocrine tumors (NETs); however, up to 25 % of patients develop distant metastases or aggressive behavior. The current classification of PPGL comprises pseudohypoxia-profile, MAPK-pathway alteration, and Wnt-pathway dysregulation clusters according to their genomic characterization. However, to date, there are no biomarkers to help stratify patients based on their prognosis. Alternati...

Lung neuroendocrine neoplasms (LungNENs) are highly heterogeneous tumors, which are classified by the WHO according to their histological grade into low grade: Typical Carcinoids (TC) and intermediate grade Atypical Carcinoids (AC), and high-grade: Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma (LCNEC) and Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC). Recently, a number of studies have tried to untangle the molecular features that define each subtype by applying different approaches, including genomic,...

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) represent a heterogeneous group of malignancies with increasing incidence worldwide, due in part to enhanced awareness and diagnosis improvements. Surgery is often effective for local disease, whereas disseminated or metastatic disease require pharmacological treatment, which is not always successful. Pancreatic (Pan-NETs) and pulmonary (Lung-NETs) neuroendocrine tumors frequently express somatostatin receptors (SSTs), providing the target for trea...

Lung neuroendocrine neoplasms (LungNENs) comprise a diverse group of rare tumors with a commonly difficult and late diagnosis, which often require complex management and treatment. The most frequently mutated genes in LungNENs have recently been identified, including known components of the chromatin-regulating pathways such as MEN1, PSIP1 and ARID1A, which are the subject of ongoing detailed studies. In contrast, other key regulatory mechanisms, par...