Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Smokers around the globe commonly report increased body weight after smoking cessation as a major factor that interferes with their attempts to quit. In addition, numerous controlled studies in both humans and rodents have reported that nicotine exerts a marked anorectic action. Nicotine’s effects on energy homeostasis have been mostly pinpointed in the central nervous system, but the molecular mechanisms controlling its action are still not fully understood...

It has been suggested that DHEA metabolites, especially 7-hydroxy and/or 7-keto derivatives could possess anti-inflammatory activity and enhance immune, cognitive and metabolic functions in rodents. It is thus important to elucidate the exact pathway (s) leading to the formation of these metabolites. While the role of cytochrome P450 CYP7B1 in the transformation of DHEA into 7α-OHDHEA is well recognized, the role of type 1 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-H...

Hyperthyroid rats and humans exhibit increased energy expenditure and marked hyperphagia. Recent evidence has pointed that alterations of thermogenesis linked to hyperthyroidism are associated to dysregulation of hypothalamic AMPK and fatty acid metabolism; however, the central mechanisms mediating hyperthyroidism-induced hyperphagia remain largely unclear.Objective: The aim of our study was to assess if alterations in feeding in hyperthyroidism are asso...

Context: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is caused by 21-hydroxylase deficiency in 95% of the cases. This leads to accumulation of steroid precursors prior to the enzymatic block and increased adrenal androgen production; accordingly serum concentrations of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP), androstenedione and testosterone are elevated in affected patients.Objective: To analyse the effect of 17OHP, androstenedione and testosterone on aldosterone-media...

TSH receptor (TSHR) is a G-protein-coupled seven-transmembrane domain receptor located in the basolateral membrane of thyroid follicular cells. The activated receptor couples to two major signal transductions pathways: the Gs/adenylate cyclase and the Gq/11/phospholipase C signalling. Many loss of function mutations have been identified in this gene leading to a wide spectrum of thyroid abnormalities, ranging from hyperthyrotropinemia and TSH resistance to severe hypothyroidis...

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is characterised by the combined occurrence of pituitary, pancreatic and parathyroid tumours. The MEN1 gene encodes a 610-amino acid tumour suppressor, menin, and MEN1-associated tumours show loss of heterozygosity. This indicates that replacement of the wild-type MEN1 gene may inhibit tumourigenesis. We have previously demonstrated that a recombinant adenoviral vector could be safely injected directly into pituit...

Background: Because type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from the T cell-mediated destruction of the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells, the depletion of the autoreactive T cells via apoptosis represents a viable strategy for the prevention of autoimmune diabetes. The functional role TNF Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand (TRAIL), a novel member of TNF superfamily, in autoimmune diabetes remains unknown. To understand this, TRAIL function was counteracted by an injection of solub...

Due to limited treatment options the prognosis of patients with advanced hepatocellular cancer (HCC) has remained poor. We therefore examined the feasibility of radioiodine therapy of HCC after human sodium iodide symporter (hNIS) gene transfer, using the tumor-specific alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) promoter for transcriptional targeting. For this purpose NIS gene transfer was performed in vivo in human HCC cell (HepG2) xenografts, using replication-deficient adenoviral vecto...

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is one of the most common autosomal recessive disorders. About 5–8% of cases are caused by the deficiency of steroid 11β-hydroxylase (CYP11B1) due to mutations in CYP11B1 gene. CYP11B1-inactivating mutations can be found without particular hot-spot spread over the entire gene. A good phenotype-genotype correlation exists for the patients suffering from 11β-hydroxylase deficiency (11OHD). The prediction of diseas...

Cellular transplantation has enormous potential for treating a variety of degenerative or malignant conditions. While adult stem cells display limitations in expansion capacity and developmental potential, embryonic stem (ES) cells are an inexhaustable source of tissues for research and therapy. During the last decade, human ES cells have been isolated, and differentiated to several tissue-specific progenitors. In vitro differentiating ES cells recapitulate early steps ...