Endocrine Abstracts

The development of Leydig cells and steroidogenesis are controlled by activation of luteinizing hormone (LH) receptors by placental HCG during intrauterine life and by pituitary LH after birth. Naturally occurring isolated LH deficiency in man thus provide useful information to understand the intriguing role of this gonadotrophin.The patient was a 23 yr-old man from Afghanistan with a 46, XY karyotype. He presented with absent pubertal development and pr...

Hormonal male contraceptives suppress gonadotropin secretion to induce azoospermia. These also markedly reduce the testicular production of testosterone. To prevent hypogonadism, pharmaceutical preparations of testosterone therefore need to be administered as a replacement therapy. Peripheral testosterone concentrations thus reflect the exogenous hormone rather than testicular production. However because the testis contributes approximately 95% of epitestosterone (E) productio...

Clinical CaseA 19-year old ethnic Pakistani presented with severe, longstanding hirsutes without virilisation. Menarche had occurred at age 14, following which she had experienced 4-6 periods a year. She had always been “underweight” by UK/WHO criteria and, given a BMI of 16.5 kg.m−2, there were concerns about hypothalamic oligomenorrhoea.InvestigationsFasting glucose 5.5 mmol/L &#...

The enzymatic inactivation of cortisol is catalysed by isoforms of 11βHSD. 11βHSD1 is a bi-directional, NADP(H)-dependent enzyme whereas11βHSD2 is an NAD+-dependent dehydrogenase that inactivates cortisol. In the male rat, 11βHSD1 is highly expressed in the testis, epididymis, vas deferens and vesicular glands. Although 11βHSD activities have recently been reported in boar testicular tissue, cortisol metabolism in the boar reproductive tract...

Angiogenesis has been shown to be fundamental for follicle development; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), the major pro-angiogenetic factor, plays a critical role in the control of the follicular growth. Akt signalling is involved in VEGF transduction (Zachary, 2003) thus regulating multiple steps in angiogenesis. Sanguinarine (SA), an alkaloid isolated from Sanguinaria Canadensis, is known for its antiangiogenetic effects by suppressing basal and VEGF-induced ...

In the ovary, 11βHSD enzymes inter-convert cortisol (F) with its inert metabolite, cortisone (E). Porcine follicular fluid from antral follicles and spontaneous ovarian cysts contains hydrophobic compounds that inhibit NADP(H)-dependent cortisol metabolism by 11βHSD1. The aim of this study was to measure intra-follicular F:E ratios in porcine antral follicles and ovarian cysts, and determine whether F:E ratios correlate with the inhibition of 11βHSD1 by porcine ...

Angiogenesis, the process by which new blood vessels are formed from preexisting vasculature, is an essential feature of female reproductive cycles. Since angiogenesis involves migration and invasion of endothelial cells into surrounding tissues, proteases such as the Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of soluble proteolytic enzymes, are critically important in this process (Rundhaug, 2005); moreover, they play a key role in extracellular matrix remodelling, a process ...

ObjectiveIn polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration is elevated and inversely related to insulin sensitivity. However, no data exists on the biological variability of CRP in PCOS.MethodsBlood samples were collected after an overnight fast at four-day intervals on 10 consecutive occasions from 12 patients with PCOS and 11 weight and age matched Caucasian women (controls). Dup...

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and a PGE analogue, sulprostone with isoprenaline (β1/β2 agonist) on mouse uterine tissue taken during labour.Uterine tissue was taken and set up for superfusion (Krebs’ solution at 2 ml/min and 37°C) as previously described by Senior et al (1991). After allowing the tissue to equilibrate for approximately 20 ...

We report a 26 year old Asian lady referred to our clinic with secondary infertility and a raised testosterone. She had miscarried at 6 weeks a year earlier. Over the last 6 months her periods had become irregular (every 6–8 weeks) had gained 9 kilograms in weight despite an unchanged diet. Along with this she had noticed an increase in facial and body hair. Testosterone checked by her GP was markedly elevated at 5.2 nmols/L (N<2.8).Prolactin 214 mu/L (0–650), ...

Recent studies have shown that serum concentrations of AMH (produced by granulosa cells of the human ovary) are positively related to the number of antral follicles and are negatively correlated with age. Like inhibin B (also a granulosa cell product) AMH is thought to be a useful clinical marker of follicle reserve. Serum AMH concentrations have been reported to be higher than normal in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is characterised by an excess of antral...