Endocrine Abstracts

The preproglucagon gene (Gcg), expressed in the intestine, the pancreas, and a small cluster of neurons in the hindbrain, encodes multiple peptides in a tissue-specific manner. One of these peptides, glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) increases following meals, functions to stimulate insulin secretion, and is essential for normal glucose tolerance. The dogma is that intestinally-derived GLP-1 acts as a hormone binding to pancreatic GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1r) to stimulate insulin se...

Introduction: Craniopharyngioma is a benign, slow-growing epithelial tumor of embryonic origin, originating in the pituitary stem or pituitary gland and developing in the sellar and/or suprasellar region. It is characterized by its considerable potential for extension, its tendency to recur, and its adhesions to surrounding structures.Case report: We report the case of a 60-year-old female patient with secondary amenorrhea at the age of 38 years, neglect...

Sarcoidosis is a multiorgan disease often affecting the lungs and lymphatic system. Neurological involvement occurs in sarcoidosis as granulomas infiltrate the nervous system. Here, we present a case of neurosarcoidosis diagnosed following non-specific neurological symptoms and delayed hypercalcaemia. A 32-year-old female presents with headaches, vomiting and acute confusion. During admission she developed unresponsive episodes. She has a background of type 1 diabetes and hypo...

Background: Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) is a rare, autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by the development of highly vascularized tumors in multiple organs. VHL affects approximately 1 in 35,000 live births. Tumors associated with VHL include hemangioblastom of the retina and central nervous system, pheochromocytomas, endolymphatic sac tumors of the middle ear, and epididymal or round ligament cysts. In 80% of patients, VHL disease is familial caused by mutations in the ...

In modern societies, the risk of developing metabolic disorders such as obesity or type-2 diabetes is associated with the prevalence of psychosocial stress. Therefore, an improved understanding of adaptive stress responses and their underlying molecular mechanisms is of high clinical interest. In response to an acute stressor, animals activate the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis releasing catecholamines and glucocorticoids...

NCKX3 (Sodium/potassium/calcium exchanger 3), a novel member of the family of K+-dependent Na+/Ca2+ exchangers, is an important component of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Ca2+ homeostasis has been extensively studied in various cell systems. Dysregulation of Ca2+ homeostasis can induce the excitotoxic and neurodegeneration in central nervous system. NCKX3 gene is highly expressed in thalamic nuclei, in hippoca...

Introduction: Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) is a hereditary condition that predisposes to the development of benign and malignant tumors due to mutations in the VHL gene. Several clinical manifestations can be observed including the development of hemangioblastomas of the central nervous system and the retina, renal or pancreatic cysts or cancers, or more rarely pheochromocytomas. These affect 10 to 25% of patients, are frequently bilateral and often reveal the disease.<...

B-pancreatic cells are programmed to react to plasma glucose level with insulin secretion. Insulin secretion is precisely regulated and in the physiological conditions fasting glucose levels are maintained in the range 3.5–5.5 mmol/l. In hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, a disorder of the regulation of insulin secretion, insulin secretion continues at low concentrations of plasma glucose. In adults hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia is the cause of 0.5 to 5.0% of hypoglicaemias a...

Context: Many pediatric cancer survivors have endocrine conditions. After alkylating agents, steroids, methotrexate and radiation, several endocrine dysfunctions may appear. Surveillance for late effects is recommended by worldwide guidelines.Objective: The objective of the study was to describe the endocrine outcomes of 764 patients followed during a 20 years period in our out-patient clinic.Design: The design was a retrospective ...

Recent evidence suggests that resolution of hypercortisolism in Cushing’s disease (CD) may not lead to complete remission of the clinical abnormalities associated with this condition. In particular, elevated cardiovascular risk may persist in ‘cured’ CD patients long-term after eucortisolism has been achieved. This is believed to be related with the maintenance of visceral obesity and altered adipokine secretory pattern which perpetuate features of metabolic syn...