Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) become upregulated very early on in pregnancy and is crucial in maintaining blood pressure. In addition to the peripheral RAS there is a uteroplacental RAS, which is also important in regulating placental function and development. Recent work has shown extra-renal sodium storage in the skin; it is suggested that the placenta may also function as a salt sensing organ and is important in regulating maternal blood pressure.<p c...

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cause of cancer death in developed countries. Our RNAseq analysis identified a novel long non-coding RNA, IRX4lncRNA at chromosome 5p15. The expression of IRX4lncRNA was much higher in prostate tumor samples (n=50) compared to their matched controls. Moreover, knockdown of lncRNA reduced the cell proliferation of LNCaP cells and this lncRNA was down-regulated in the cells undergoing Epithelial ...

Introduction: Trans-sphenoidal Surgery (TSS) remains the primary treatment for acromegaly in most patients, but no previous data exist on outcomes for patients treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (STRS) as a primary treatment.Methods: 20 patients with acromegaly underwent primary STRS at the National Centre for Radiosurgery, Sheffield, UK between 1985 and 2015. Data collection: note review, database, laboratory results, patient questionnaire, and death...

A 41 year old female presented to the haematologists with a coincidental finding of polycythaemia: haemoglobin 198 g/L, white blood cell count 8×109/L, platelets 236×109/L, haematocrit 0.57 L/L and red blood cell count 6.16×1012/L. Six years earlier haemoglobin 151 g/L, white blood cell count 7.7×109/L, platelets 297×109/L, haematocrit 0.4 L/L and red blood cell count 4.53×1012/L. S...

Sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2)-inhibitors represent a new class of drugs that inhibit glucose re-uptake in the proximal renal tubule resulting in glycosuria, with concomitant weight loss and improved glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since becoming available, SGLT2 inhibitors have been implicated in over 20 reported cases of diabetic ketoacidosis or ketosis. In many cases there was an antecedent period of decreased oral intake, a...

Introduction: We report the largest case series of concomitant prolactinoma and aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA), diagnosed in four patients from the German Conn Registry and in three patients at the Hypertension Unit, University of Torino. A disproportionate number (five out of seven) presented with macro-prolactinomas indicating that elevated prolactin (PRL) concentrations may play a role in APA formation. Further, increased expression of PRLR in the zona glomeru...

Introduction: Loss of function mutations in SGPL1, a key component of sphingolipid metabolism, are associated with accumulation of sphingolipid intermediates giving rise to a multisystemic disease incorporating primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) and progressive renal and neurological disease. Sphingolipid accumulation is implicated in mitochondrial pathology.Objective: To investigate the impact of SGPL1 deficiency on mitochondrial morphology/ f...

Introduction: The management of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in young children can be extremely challenging due to high insulin sensitivity, unpredictable eating and activity and difficulty recognizing symptoms of hypoglycaemia. Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy is beneficial in managing young children, however the small insulin doses required challenge the accuracy of standard concentration (100 IU/ml) CSII.Case report and literature revi...

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is distinguished by its neuroendocrine phenotype and secretion of hormone biomarkers. Tumours initially respond well to therapy but almost invariably relapse with a therapy-resistant phenotype. We have previously described pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) as a potential biomarker of SCLC. In this study, we investigated how POMC acts as a biomarker of tumour response to treatment.SCLC cells (DMS 79) were injected subcutaneously in...

Acromegaly causes impaired insulin sensitivity and reduced fat mass. Using acipimox to block lipolysis, the impact of free fatty acids (FFA) on insulin sensitivity in active acromegaly was investigated. 1H MRS was used to quantify triglyceride (TG) content of liver and muscle.Methods: 6 patients with active acromegaly (AA) (5M, age 59 (34–70), IGF-I (ng/ml) (median (range)) (452 (342–1002)) were studied on 2 visits; (i) baseline (BL)...