Endocrine Abstracts

This study aimed at investigating the effect of high sucrose diet on male reproductive function and if Nigerian honey could exert a protective role. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into four equal groups of six animals and given water (control); honey (H); high sucrose solution (30%w/v) (HSS); and both high sucrose solution (30%w/v) and honey (HSS+H). Each rat on honey received a daily dose of 10 ml honey/kg per 5 ml of distilled water. Food intake, body weight, organ w...

In this study, effects of bovine somatotropin on libido, serum testosterone, hematological indices and certain serum biochemical metabolites in Sahiwal bulls were investigated. Six adult Sahiwal bulls with clinically normal reproductive tract and kept at the Semen Production Unit, Qadirabad, Sahiwal, Pakistan were used. These bulls were divided into two equal groups, i.e. treatment and control. Bulls of the treatment group were given bovine somatotropin (bST) at of 500 mg week...

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) poses multiple risks to both the mother and foetus. This includes foetal macrosomia and the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) due to their metabolic profile are at greater risk of developing GDM and its long-term sequelae. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associations of GDM at St George’s Hospital, with emphasis on women diagnosed with PCOS. The K2 maternal med...

Quercetin and resveratrol, powerful antioxidants and blockers of intracellular mTOR signalling system, are widely distributed in edible plants. Their action on ovarian cell functions and the interrelationships with gonadotropin are studied insufficiently. We examined the effect of FSH, quercetin, resveratrol and their combinations on proliferation and apoptosis of cultured porcine ovarian granulosa cells. Accumulation of marker of proliferation (PCNA) and marker of apoptosis (...

Background: Fetal glucocorticoid overexposure is associated with low birthweight and increased cardiovascular disease risk in the offspring. Such ‘programmed effects’ can be transmitted across generations through both male and female lines. Disruption of a germline epigenetic reprogramming pathway, characterised by genome-wide erasure and subsequent re-establishment of DNA methylation, may underpin the intergenerational transmission of programmed effects. We used a r...

LH receptor (LHR) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that plays key roles in reproduction and pregnancy. Endocytic trafficking and sorting of GPCRs to diverse cellular fates represent a key mechanism in defining cellular responses by controlling both the temporal and spatial parameters of cellular signalling. How different processes within the endocytic system are coordinated, however, needs to be mechanistically dissected in more detail. We have recently demonstrated that...

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterised by anovulation and insulin resistance but the effects on reproductive outcomes are unclear.Objectives: To determine the impact of PCOS upon fertility, pregnancy complications and delivery method.Methods: Data were extracted from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Patients with a diagnosis of PCOS (2000–2012) were matched to controls (1:2) by age (±1 year)...

Background: Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a key regulator of preantral follicle development. In human polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) hyperandrogenism drives antral follicle excess, and is associated with elevated AMH levels. It is currently unknown if androgens regulate AMH secretion.Objective and hypothesis: To provide insights into the regulation of AMH action, we hypothesized that dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the most potent androgen, stimula...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. It is characterised by excessive ovarian androgen production which, in turn, has been implicated in the aetiology of aberrant follicular development. We have previously reported that prenatal exposure to androgens activates follicle growth1. It has been suggested that androgens may interact with the IGFs to promote the activation and growth of follicles. The aim of thi...

Successful implantation requires the synchronisation of viable embryonic development with endometrial receptivity. The mechanisms allowing for the initiation of crosstalk remain elusive, however recent studies have revealed alterations in endometrial microRNAs (miRs) in women suffering repeated implantation failure (RIF). We hypothesised that the IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) is involved in implantation, and that miR145, which is elevated in RIF endometrium and predicted to target IGF...

We present the case of an 18-year-old boy with phimosis who was referred by the urology team as he had low levels of testosterone. Clinical evaluation revealed that he had normal pubertal growth spurt and was 183 cm tall. His sense of smell was impaired and voice was high pitched. Examination revealed no facial hair, scanty pubic and axillary hair. He had bilateral gynaecomastia, phimosis and micropenis (1.0 cm). The testes were small and soft in consistency (right 2.0 and lef...

The IGF axis is imperative for normal placental development and function. In the human placenta, IGF1R regulates the actions of IGFs and consequently placental growth. Some microRNAs (miRs) are also known to regulate human placental growth. miR-145 is known to exert its effects on human placental growth by targeting IGF1R. Whilst the expression of some components within the IGF axis are similar between mice and humans, murine expression and function of IGF regulatory miRs has ...

Placental chorionic gonadotrophin (CG) hormone secretion, critical for maintenance of early pregnancy, is dependent on differentiation of specialised CG-secreting binucleate trophoblast (horse) and syncytiotrophoblast (human). The most abundant genes expressed by binucleate cells are the α and β subunits of equine CG. We recently showed the transcription factor glial cells missing 1 (GCM1) is rapidly induced during differentiation of binucleate trophoblast and mRNA e...

Equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) is not only essential for the maintenance of early equine pregnancy but is also used therapeutically for synchronisation of farm and laboratory animals. Currently it is extracted from serum of farmed pregnant mares. We have recently reported that under normoxic conditions, BMP4 treatment of equine trophoblast resulted in a dose, and developmental stage-dependent increase in total number of differentiated binucleate cells that secrete eCG. O...

Case history: A 29-year-old man presented with infertility. He also complained of difficulty in passing urine. He also complained of low libido and ejaculate was also noted to be watery. He complained of occasional difficulty in maintaining erections. He denied history of trauma, radiation exposure or use of illicit drugs. He had normal pubertal development and secondary sexual features. He had undergone a surgery about 11 years ago in Nigeria for hypospadias. Hypospadias was ...

Introduction: The human endometrium has a remarkable capacity for repeated repair following the inflammation of menstruation. This occurs without scarring or loss of function but mechanisms involved remain undefined. Aberrations in endometrial repair may lead to pathology such as heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). The transforming growth factor-β superfamily has been implicated in efficient wound repair and has a potential role in menstrual repair. Downstream of TGF-β, ...

Objective: To study association of endometrial thickness measured on ovulation induction (OI) day with cycle outcome after ICSI.Subjects and methods: It was a quasi experimental design carried out in an infertility clinic from July 2011 till June 2012. The treatment comprised of down regulation of ovaries, controlled ovarian stimulation, oocyte pick up, IVF, embryo (blastocysts) transfer followed by confirmation of pregnancy with beta hCG more than 25 mI...

It is well established that the interaction between an implanting embryo and the endometrium is essential for successful implantation and there is a variety of locally secreted factors within the uterine environment which underlies this maternal–fetal cross-talk. Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone secreted by the embryo and is essential during early stages of pregnancy to maintain progesterone production from the corpus luteum. Its receptor (LH/...

Successful embryo implantation requires changes in endometrial gene expression of biomarkers which contribute to uterine receptivity to facilitate blastocyst attachment. Osteopontin (OPN), expressed at the maternal–foetal interface may facilitate implantation in processes, such as cell adhesion, migration and angiogenesis which require OPN signalling via CD44 and integrin receptors. As coordinate expression of OPN and receptors is shown to be cycle-dependent and up-regula...

Background: Oestrogen replacement therapy is essential in transwomen for their well-being. Various forms of oestrogen therapy are available. Individual responses to such replacement therapy may vary. Hormonal implant is a reliable form of hormone replacement in postmenopausal women. However, their efficacy and safety in transwomen have not been thoroughly examined yet.Methods: 14 transwomen had 100 mg of oestradiol implant inserted subcutaneously in the ...

Background: Various forms of testosterone replacement therapy has been used in replacement therapy for transmen and men with hypogonadism. However, efficacy and safety of testosterone implant has not been studied yet.Methods: 11 patietns (five transmen and six men with hypogonadism) had 800–1000 mg of testosterone implant inserted subcutaneously in the anterior abdominal wall. All subjects had previously been on other forms of testosterone replaceme...

Introduction: Labour is an inflammatory process involving the innate immune system, premature activation of which, for example by infection, can lead to preterm birth before 37 weeks of gestation with profound pathophysiological consequences for the offspring. The putative antimicrobial protein HRPE773 (ZG16B) expressed in human female reproductive secretory epithelia, has been shown previously to be elevated in human endometrium during the menstrual early secretory phase and ...

This study was planned to investigate the relationship between birth weight and IGF1, IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP3), in neonates with normal growth (appropriate for gestational age: AGA) and retarded growth (small for gestational age: SGA). A total of 200 mothers were recruited, 120 serum samples were maternal and collected between gestational age of 32-38 weeks, 80 were cord blood from SGA and AGA fetus collected soon after delivery. 98 maternal samples and 48 cord blood sam...

Melanocortin receptors (MCS, MC1–MC5) are GPCRs, activated with different affinities by the melanocortin peptides (α-, β-, γ-MSH and ACTH). They are widely distributed throughout the body displaying a multitude of actions however their role in reproductive physiology is unclear. Previously, we have shown a reduction of pituitary hormone content and abnormalities in testes morphology in male MC3 null mice. The aim ...

Backgound: We report a case of a 63-year-old postmenopausal female diagnosed with ovarian hyperthecosis masked by concurrent use of an aromatase inhibitor.Following diagnosis of breast cancer in 2009, requiring mastectomy with adjunctive chemotherapy, she was commenced on anastrozole. Later she noted gradual onset of frontal balding and hirsutism. Biochemistry revealed elevated serum levels of testosterone 13.2 nmol/l (range: <1.9 nmol/l) and androst...

Introduction: I present here a patient with congenital adrenal hyperplasia and Fragile X syndrome. The two conditions are rare and not known to be related to each other.Clinical case: A 26-years-old lady was referred to Endocirne clinic with primary amenorrhoea. She complained of hirsutism and some facial acne since 14 years of age. To the best of her recollection her thelarche was around 12 years of age and pubic hair started to appear at 10 years of ag...