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138 records returned

Sex Steroid Hormones, Hormonal Contraception, and the Immunobiology of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infection.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Worldwide, an increasing number of women use oral or injectable hormonal contraceptives. However, inadequate information is available to aid women and health care professionals in weighing the potential risks of hormonal contraceptive use in individuals living with HIV-1 or at high risk of infection. Numerous epidemiological studies and challenge studies in a rhesus macaque model suggest that progesterone-based contraceptives increase the risk of HIV-1 infection in humans and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in macaques, accelerate disease progression, and increase viral shedding in the genital tract. Howe...
Source: ENDOCR REV - November 10, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Hel Z, Stringer E, Mestecky J Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

The Effects of Opioids and Opioid Analogs on Animal and Human Endocrine Systems.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Opioid abuse has increased in the last decade, primarily as a result of increased access to prescription opioids. Physicians are also increasingly administering opioid analgesics for noncancer chronic pain. Thus, knowledge of the long-term consequences of opioid use/abuse has important implications for fully evaluating the clinical usefulness of opioid medications. Many studies have examined the effect of opioids on the endocrine system; however, a systematic review of the endocrine actions of opioids in both humans and animals has, to our knowledge, not been published since 1984. Thus, we reviewed the literature on th...
Source: ENDOCR REV - November 10, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Vuong C, Van Uum SH, O'Dell LE, Lutfy K, Friedman TC Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Small G Proteins in Islet {beta}-Cell Function.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from the islet beta-cell involves a sequence of metabolic events and an interplay between a wide range of signaling pathways leading to the generation of second messengers (e.g., cyclic nucleotides, adenine and guanine nucleotides, soluble lipid messengers) and mobilization of calcium ions. Consequent to the generation of necessary signals, the insulin-laden secretory granules are transported from distal sites to the plasma membrane for fusion and release of their cargo into the circulation. The secretory granule transport underlies precise changes in cytoskeletal architecture invol...
Source: ENDOCR REV - November 4, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Kowluru A Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Crosstalk in Inflammation: The Interplay of Glucocorticoid Receptor-Based Mechanisms and Kinases and Phosphatases.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroidal ligands for the GC receptor (GR), which can function as a ligand-activated transcription factor. These steroidal ligands and derivatives thereof are the first line of treatment in a vast array of inflammatory diseases. However, due to the general surge of side effects associated with long-term use of GCs and the potential problem of GC resistance in some patients, the scientific world continues to search for a better understanding of the GC-mediated antiinflammatory mechanisms. The reversible phosphomodification of various mediators in the inflammatory process plays a key role in mod...
Source: ENDOCR REV - November 4, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Beck IM, Vanden Berghe W, Vermeulen L, Yamamoto KR, Haegeman G, De Bosscher K Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Steroidogenesis in the Fetal Testis and Its Susceptibility to Disruption by Exogenous Compounds.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Masculinization depends on adequate production of testosterone by the fetal testis within a specific "masculinization programming window." Disorders resulting from subtle deficiencies in this process are common in humans, and environmental exposures/lifestyle could contribute causally because common therapeutic and environmental compounds can affect steroidogenesis. This evidence derives mainly from rodent studies, but because there are major species differences in regulation of steroidogenesis in the fetal testis, this may not always be a guide to potential effects in the human. In addition to direct study of the effe...
Source: ENDOCR REV - November 3, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Scott HM, Mason JI, Sharpe RM Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

The Role of Mitochondria in the Pathophysiology of Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Multiple organs contribute to the development of peripheral insulin resistance, with the major contributors being skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue. Because insulin resistance usually precedes the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by many years, understanding the pathophysiology of insulin resistance should enable development of therapeutic strategies to prevent disease progression. Some subjects with mitochondrial genomic variants/defects and a subset of lean individuals with hereditary predisposition to T2DM exhibit skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction early in the course of insulin resista...
Source: ENDOCR REV - October 27, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Pagel-Langenickel I, Bao J, Pang L, Sack MN Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Metabolism and Circadian Rhythms--Implications for Obesity.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Obesity has become a serious public health problem and a major risk factor for the development of illnesses, such as insulin resistance and hypertension. Human homeostatic systems have adapted to daily changes in light and dark in a way that the body anticipates the sleep and activity periods. Mammals have developed an endogenous circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the anterior hypothalamus that responds to the environmental light-dark cycle. Similar clocks have been found in peripheral tissues, such as the liver, intestine, and adipose tissue, regulating cellular and physiological functions. The c...
Source: ENDOCR REV - October 23, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Froy O Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Genetic Regulation of Pituitary Gland Development in Human and Mouse.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Normal hypothalamopituitary development is closely related to that of the forebrain and is dependent upon a complex genetic cascade of transcription factors and signaling molecules that may be either intrinsic or extrinsic to the developing Rathke's pouch. These factors dictate organ commitment, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation within the anterior pituitary. Abnormalities in these processes are associated with congenital hypopituitarism, a spectrum of disorders that includes syndromic disorders such as septo-optic dysplasia, combined pituitary hormone deficiencies, and isolated hormone deficiencies, of whic...
Source: ENDOCR REV - October 15, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Kelberman D, Rizzoti K, Lovell-Badge R, Robinson IC, Dattani MT Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Effects of Intrauterine Exposure to Synthetic Glucocorticoids on Fetal, Newborn, and Infant Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Function in Humans: A Systematic Review.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions: This systematic review has allowed the demonstration of the way in which intrauterine exposure to various regimens of synthetic glucocorticoids affects various forms of hpa function. As such, it guides future studies in terms of which variables need to be focused on in order to further strengthen the understanding of such therapy, whilst continuing to profit from its clinical benefits. PMID: 19837868 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: ENDOCR REV)
Source: ENDOCR REV - October 15, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Tegethoff M, Pryce C, Meinlschmidt G Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

The Mammalian Ovary from Genesis to Revelation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Two major functions of the mammalian ovary are the production of germ cells (oocytes), which allow continuation of the species, and the generation of bioactive molecules, primarily steroids (mainly estrogens and progestins) and peptide growth factors, which are critical for ovarian function, regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, and development of secondary sex characteristics. The female germline is created during embryogenesis when the precursors of primordial germ cells differentiate from somatic lineages of the embryo and take a unique route to reach the urogenital ridge. This undifferentiated gona...
Source: ENDOCR REV - September 22, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Edson MA, Nagaraja AK, Matzuk MM Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Kisspeptin Signaling in the Brain.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Kisspeptin (a product of the Kiss1 gene) and its receptor (GPR54 or Kiss1r) have emerged as key players in the regulation of reproduction. Mutations in humans or genetically targeted deletions in mice of either Kiss1 or Kiss1r cause profound hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Neurons that express Kiss1/kisspeptin are found in discrete nuclei in the hypothalamus, as well as other brain regions in many vertebrates, and their distribution, regulation, and function varies widely across species. Kisspeptin neurons directly innervate and stimulate GnRH neurons, which are the final common pathway through which the brain regulates...
Source: ENDOCR REV - September 20, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Oakley AE, Clifton DK, Steiner RA Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Insulin Receptor Isoforms and Insulin Receptor/Insulin-Like Growth Factor Receptor Hybrids in Physiology and Disease.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In mammals, the insulin receptor (IR) gene has acquired an additional exon, exon 11. This exon may be skipped in a developmental and tissue-specific manner. The IR, therefore, occurs in two isoforms (exon 11 minus IR-A and exon 11 plus IR-B). The most relevant functional difference between these two isoforms is the high affinity of IR-A for IGF-II. IR-A is predominantly expressed during prenatal life. It enhances the effects of IGF-II during embryogenesis and fetal development. It is also significantly expressed in adult tissues, especially in the brain. Conversely, IR-B is predominantly expressed in adult, well-differ...
Source: ENDOCR REV - September 13, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Belfiore A, Frasca F, Pandini G, Sciacca L, Vigneri R Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Pathomechanisms of Type 2 Diabetes Genes.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a complex metabolic disease that is caused by insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction. Furthermore, type 2 diabetes has an evident genetic component and represents a polygenic disease. During the last decade, considerable progress was made in the identification of type 2 diabetes risk genes. This was crucially influenced by the development of affordable high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays that prompted several successful genome-wide association scans in large case-control cohorts. Subsequent to the identification of type 2 diabetes risk SNPs, cohorts thoroughly phen...
Source: ENDOCR REV - September 10, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Staiger H, Machicao F, Fritsche A, Häring HU Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

The Endocrine Society Laureate Awards.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Authors: PMID: 19663075 [PubMed - in process] (Source: ENDOCR REV)
Source: ENDOCR REV - July 31, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

The Endocrine Society 2009 Laureate Awards.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Authors: PMID: 19663077 [PubMed - in process] (Source: ENDOCR REV)
Source: ENDOCR REV - July 31, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

The Role of Liver-Derived IGF-I.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is expressed in virtually every tissue of the body but with much higher expression in the liver than in any other tissue. Studies using mice with liver-specific IGF-I knock out (KO) have demonstrated that liver-derived IGF-I, constituting a major part of circulating IGF-I, is an important endocrine factor involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Detailed studies comparing the impact of liver-derived IGF-I and local bone-derived IGF-I demonstrate that both sources of IGF-I can stimulate longitudinal bone growth. We propose here that liver-derived circulating...
Source: ENDOCR REV - July 8, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Ohlsson C, Mohan S, Sjögren K, Tivesten A, Isgaard J, Isaksson O, Jansson JO, Svensson J Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Ovarian Ageing: Mechanisms and Clinical Consequences.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The cessation of menstrual cycles at a mean age of 50 and increasing longevity imply that women spend almost half of their lives in a postmenopausal status. Menopause can be seen as a fulcrum for several health risks, like infertility and several estrogen dependent disease states. It is the final step in the process referred to as ovarian ageing. The mechanisms behind this ageing process are not well understood. The present review puts effort in describing the various phases of ovarian ageing and the markers that express the ovarian changes over time when clinical signs are still absent. The endocrine changes that occu...
Source: ENDOCR REV - July 8, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Broekmans FJ, Soules MR, Fauser BC Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Activation of Mammalian Primordial Follicles.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In humans and other mammalian species, the pool of resting primordial follicles serves as the source of developing follicles and fertilizable ova for the entire length of female reproductive life. One question that has intrigued biologists is the mechanisms controlling the activation of dormant primordial follicles. Studies from previous decades have laid a solid, but yet incomplete, foundation. In recent years, molecular mechanisms underlying follicular activation have become more evident, mainly through the use of genetically-modified mouse models. As hypothesized in the 1990s, the pool of primordial follicles is now...
Source: ENDOCR REV - July 8, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Adhikari D, Liu K Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

History of aromatase: saga of an important biological mediator and therapeutic target.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Aromatase is the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of androgens to estrogens. Initial studies of its enzymatic activity and function took place in an environment focused on estrogen as a component of the birth control pill. At an early stage, investigators recognized that inhibition of this enzyme could have major practical applications for treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer, alterations of ovarian and endometrial function, and treatment of benign disorders such as gynecomastia. Two general approaches ultimately led to the development of potent and selective aromatase inhibitors. One targeted the enzyme us...
Source: ENDOCR REV - May 31, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Santen RJ, Brodie H, Simpson ER, Siiteri PK, Brodie A Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Iodine deficiency.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Iodine deficiency has multiple adverse effects in humans, termed iodine deficiency disorders, due to inadequate thyroid hormone production. Globally, it is estimated that 2 billion individuals have an insufficient iodine intake, and South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are particularly affected. However, about 50% of Europe remains mildly iodine deficient, and iodine intakes in other industrialized countries, including the United States and Australia, have fallen in recent years. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy and infancy may impair growth and neurodevelopment of the offspring and increase infant mortality. Deficiency...
Source: ENDOCR REV - May 31, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Zimmermann MB Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: an Endocrine Society scientific statement.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
There is growing interest in the possible health threat posed by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which are substances in our environment, food, and consumer products that interfere with hormone biosynthesis, metabolism, or action resulting in a deviation from normal homeostatic control or reproduction. In this first Scientific Statement of The Endocrine Society, we present the evidence that endocrine disruptors have effects on male and female reproduction, breast development and cancer, prostate cancer, neuroendocrinology, thyroid, metabolism and obesity, and cardiovascular endocrinology. Results from animal mod...
Source: ENDOCR REV - May 31, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Diamanti-Kandarakis E, Bourguignon JP, Giudice LC, Hauser R, Prins GS, Soto AM, Zoeller RT, Gore AC Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Unraveling IGFBP-3 Actions in Human Disease.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The IGF system plays critical roles in somatic growth in an endocrine fashion (somatomedin hypothesis) as well as proliferation and differentiation of normal and malignant cells in a paracrine/autocrine fashion. IGFBP-3 is known to modulate the actions of IGFs in circulation as well as the immediate extracellular environment. Interestingly, apart from the ability to inhibit or enhance IGF actions, IGFBP-3 also exhibits very clear, distinct biologic effects independent of the IGF/IGF-I receptor axis. Over the past decade it has become widely appreciated that IGF/IGF-IR-independent actions of IGFBP-3 (antiproliferative a...
Source: ENDOCR REV - May 27, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Jogie-Brahim S, Feldman D, Oh Y Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Instructing an embryonic stem cell-derived oocyte fate: lessons from endogenous oogenesis.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Female reproductive potential is limited in the majority of species due to oocyte depletion. Because functional human oocytes are restricted in number and accessibility, a robust system to differentiate oocytes from stem cells would enable a thorough investigation of the genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors affecting human oocyte development. Also, the differentiation of functional oocytes from stem cells may permit the success of human somatic cell nuclear transfer for reprogramming studies and for the production of patient-specific embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Thus, ESC-derived oocytes could ultimately help...
Source: ENDOCR REV - April 30, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Nicholas CR, Chavez SL, Baker VL, Reijo Pera RA Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Ethical issues in stem cell research.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article provides a critical analysis of these issues and how they are addressed in current policies. PMID: 19366754 [PubMed - in process] (Source: ENDOCR REV)
Source: ENDOCR REV - April 30, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Lo B, Parham L Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Stem cells to pancreatic beta-cells: new sources for diabetes cell therapy.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The number of patients worldwide suffering from the chronic disease diabetes mellitus is growing at an alarming rate. Insulin-secreting beta-cells in the islet of Langerhans are damaged to different extents in diabetic patients, either through an autoimmune reaction present in type 1 diabetic patients or through inherent changes within beta-cells that affect their function in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. Cell replacement strategies via islet transplantation offer potential therapeutic options for diabetic patients. However, the discrepancy between the limited number of donor islets and the high number of pa...
Source: ENDOCR REV - April 30, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Guo T, Hebrok M Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

In search of adrenocortical stem and progenitor cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We present evidence for the existence and location of adrenocortical stem/progenitor cells and their potential contribution to adrenocortical carcinomas. Data described herein come primarily from studies conducted in the Hammer laboratory with incorporation of important related studies from other investigators. Together, the work provides a framework for the emerging somatic stem cell field as it relates to the adrenal gland. PMID: 19403887 [PubMed - in process] (Source: ENDOCR REV)
Source: ENDOCR REV - April 30, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Kim AC, Barlaskar FM, Heaton JH, Else T, Kelly VR, Krill KT, Scheys JO, Simon DP, Trovato A, Yang WH, Hammer GD Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Editorial: Update on stem cell research.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PMID: 19433633 [PubMed - in process] (Source: ENDOCR REV)
Source: ENDOCR REV - April 30, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Robertson RP, Giudice LC Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Thyrotropin and homologous glycoprotein hormone receptors: structural and functional aspects of extracellular signaling mechanisms.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The TSH receptor (TSHR) together with the homologous lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor and the follitropin receptor are glycoprotein hormone receptors (GPHRs). They constitute a subfamily of the rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptors with seven transmembrane helices. GPHRs and their corresponding hormones are pivotal proteins with respect to a variety of physiological functions. The identification and characterization of intra- and intermolecular signaling determinants as well as signaling mechanisms are prerequisites to gaining molecular insights into functions and (pathogenic) dysfunctions of GPHRs. Knowledge ...
Source: ENDOCR REV - March 31, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Kleinau G, Krause G Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

The role of the calcium-sensing receptor in the development and progression of cancer.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) is responsive to changes in the extracellular Ca(2+) (Ca(2+)(o)) concentration. It is a member of the largest family of cell surface receptors, the G protein-coupled receptors, and it has been shown to be involved in Ca(2+)(o) homeostasis. Apart from its primary role in Ca(2+)(o) homeostasis, the CaR may be involved in phenomena that allow for the development of many types of benign or malignant tumors, from parathyroid adenomas to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. For example, whereas the CaR is expressed in both normal and malignant breast tissue, increased CaR levels have been r...
Source: ENDOCR REV - March 31, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Saidak Z, Mentaverri R, Brown EM Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Effects of growth hormone on glucose, lipid, and protein metabolism in human subjects.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In evolutionary terms, GH and intracellular STAT 5 signaling is a very old regulatory system. Whereas insulin dominates periprandially, GH may be viewed as the primary anabolic hormone during stress and fasting. GH exerts anabolic effects directly and through stimulation of IGF-I, insulin, and free fatty acids (FFA). When subjects are well nourished, the GH-induced stimulation of IGF-I and insulin is important for anabolic storage and growth of lean body mass (LBM), adipose tissue, and glycogen reserves. During fasting and other catabolic states, GH predominantly stimulates the release and oxidation of FFA, which leads...
Source: ENDOCR REV - March 31, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Møller N, Jørgensen JO Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Trophoblast Stem Cells: Models for Investigating Trophectoderm Differentiation and Placental Development.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The placenta is an ephemeral organ, containing diverse populations of trophoblasts which are all derived from the embryonic trophectoderm, but which have morphological, functional and molecular diversity within and across species. In hemochorial placentation these cells play especially important roles interfacing with, and modifying the cells of the maternal decidua. Within the rapidly growing placenta, it has been shown that there are trophoblast stem cells (TSC), well characterized in the mouse, and postulated but not well-understood in primates. This review will discuss the characteristics of candidates for human an...
Source: ENDOCR REV - March 18, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Douglas GC, Vandevoort C, Kumar P, Chang TC, Golos TG Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Effects of Growth Hormone on Glucose, Lipid and Protein Metabolism in Human Subjects.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In evolutionary terms growth hormone (GH) and intracellular STAT 5 signaling is a very old regulatory system. Whereas insulin dominates peri-prandially, GH may be viewed as the primary anabolic hormone during stress and fasting. GH exerts anabolic effects directly and through stimulation of IGF-I, insulin, and free fatty acids (FFA). When well nourished the GH-induced stimulation of IGF-I and insulin is important for anabolic storage and growth of lean body mass (LBM), adipose tissue and glycogen reserves. During fasting and other catabolic states GH predominantly stimulates the release and oxidation of FFA which leads...
Source: ENDOCR REV - February 24, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Møller N, Otto Lunde Jørgensen J Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

The Role of the Calcium Sensing Receptor in the Development and Progression of Cancer.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The Calcium sensing Receptor (CaR) is responsive to changes in the extracellular Ca(2+) concentration (Ca(2+)o). It is a member of the largest family of cell surface receptors, the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and it has been shown to be involved in Ca(2+)o homeostasis. Apart from its primary role in Ca(2+)o homeostasis, the CaR may be involved in phenomena that allow for the development of many types of benign or malignant tumors, from parathyroid adenomas to breast, prostate and colon cancers. For example, while the CaR is expressed in both normal and malignant breast tissue, increased CaR levels have been re...
Source: ENDOCR REV - February 23, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Saidak Z, Mentaverri R, Brown EM Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Thyrotropin- and Homologous Glycoprotein Hormone Receptors: Structural and Functional Aspects of Extracellular Signaling Mechanisms.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) together with the homologous lutropin/choriogonadotropin (LHCGR) and the follitropin receptor (FSHR) are glycoprotein-hormone receptors (GPHRs). They constitute a subfamily of the rhodopsin-like G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) with seven transmembrane helices. GPHRs and their corresponding hormones are pivotal proteins with respect to a variety of physiological functions. The identification and characterization of intra- and intermolecular signaling determinants as well as signaling-mechanisms are prerequisites to gaining molecular insights into functions and (pathogenic) dysfunction...
Source: ENDOCR REV - January 27, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Kleinau G, Krause G Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Androgen Receptor Roles in Spermatogenesis and Fertility: Lessons from Testicular Cell-Specific Androgen Receptor Knockout Mice.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Androgens are critical steroid hormones that determine the expression of the male phenotype, including the outward development of secondary sex characteristics as well as the initiation and maintenance of spermatogenesis. Their actions are mediated by the androgen receptor (AR), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. AR functions as a ligand-dependent transcription factor, regulating expression of an array of androgen-responsive genes. Androgen and the AR play important roles in male spermatogenesis and fertility. The recent generation and characterization of male total and conditional AR knockout (AR(-/y)) mice...
Source: ENDOCR REV - January 27, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Wang RS, Yeh S, Tzeng CR, Chang C Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Hypothesis: Could Excessive Fructose Intake and Uric Acid Cause Type 2 Diabetes?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We propose that excessive fructose intake (>50 g/day) may be one of the underlying etiologies of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The primary sources of fructose are sugar (sucrose) and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). First, fructose intake correlates closely with the rate of diabetes worldwide. Second, unlike other sugars, the ingestion of excessive fructose induces features of metabolic syndrome in both laboratory animals and humans. Third, fructose appears to mediate the metabolic syndrome in part by raising uric acid, and there is now extensive experimental and clinical data supporting uric acid in the p...
Source: ENDOCR REV - January 16, 2009 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Johnson RJ, Perez-Pozo SE, Sautin YY, Manitius J, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Feig DI, Shafiu M, Segal M, Glassock RJ, Shimada M, Roncal C, Nakagawa T Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Growth Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I in the Transition from Normal Mammary Development to Preneoplastic Mammary Lesions.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Adult female mammary development starts at puberty and is controlled by tightly regulated cross-talk between a group of hormones and growth factors. Although estrogen is the initial driving force, and is joined by luteal phase progesterone, both of these hormones require growth hormone induced IGF-I in the mammary gland in order to act. The same group of hormones, when experimentally perturbed, can lead to development of hyperplastic lesions and increase the chances, or be precursors, of mammary carcinoma. For example, systemic administration of growth hormone (GH) or IGF-I causes mammary hyperplasia, and overproductio...
Source: ENDOCR REV - December 15, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Kleinberg DL, Wood TL, Furth PA, Lee AV Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Bisphenol-A and the Great Divide: A Review of Controversies in the Field of Endocrine Disruption.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In 1991, a group of 21 scientists gathered at the Wingspread Conference center to discuss evidence of developmental alterations observed in wildlife populations following chemical exposures. There, the term "endocrine disruptor" was agreed upon to describe a class of chemicals including those that act as agonists and antagonists of the estrogen receptors, androgen receptor, thyroid hormone receptor, and others. This definition has since evolved and the field has grown to encompass hundreds of chemicals. In spite of significant advances in the study of endocrine disruptors, several controversies have sprung up and conti...
Source: ENDOCR REV - December 12, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Vandenberg LN, Maffini MV, Sonnenschein C, Rubin BS, Soto AM Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Evidence-Based and Potential Benefits of Metformin in the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Comprehensive Review.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Metformin is an insulin sensitizer widely used for the treatment of patients affected by type-2 diabetes mellitus. Since many women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are insulin resistant, metformin was introduced in clinical practice to also treat these patients. Moreover, metformin's effect has other targets beside its insulin-sensitizing action. The present review was aimed to describe all evidence-based and potential employments of metformin in PCOS patients. In particular, will be analyzed not only the uses of metformin for the treatment of all PCOS-related disturbances such as menstrual disorders, anovulatory...
Source: ENDOCR REV - December 4, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Palomba S, Falbo A, Zullo F, Orio Jr F Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

The Metabolic Syndrome.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The 'Metabolic Syndrome' (MetS) is a clustering of components that reflect overnutrition, sedentary lifestyles, and resultant excess adiposity. The MetS includes the clustering of abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and elevated blood pressure and is associated with other comorbidities including the prothrombotic state, proinflammatory state, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and reproductive disorders. Because the MetS is a cluster of different conditions, and not a single disease, the development of multiple concurrent definitions has resulted. The prevalence of the MetS is increasing to epidemic pro...
Source: ENDOCR REV - October 29, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Cornier MA, Dabelea D, Hernandez TL, Lindstrom RC, Steig AJ, Stob NR, Van Pelt RE, Wang H, Eckel RH Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Motivations and Methods for Analyzing Pulsatile Hormone Secretion.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Endocrine glands communicate with remote target cells via mixture of continuous and intermittent signal exchange. Continuous signaling allows slowly varying control, whereas intermittency permits rapid large adjustments. The control systems that mediate such homeostatic corrections operate in a species-, gender-, age- and context-selective fashion. Significant progress has been made in understanding mechanisms of adaptive interglandular signaling in vivo. Principal goals are to understand the physiological origins, significance and mechanisms of pulsatile hormone secretion. Key analytical issues are to (i) quantify the...
Source: ENDOCR REV - October 21, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Veldhuis JD, Keenan DM, Pincus SM Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

The cap superfamily: cysteine-rich secretory proteins, antigen 5 and pathogenesis-related 1 proteins - roles in reproduction, cancer and immune defense.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
THE CAP SUPERFAMILY: CYSTEINE-RICH SECRETORY PROTEINS, ANTIGEN 5 AND PATHOGENESIS-RELATED 1 PROTEINS - ROLES IN REPRODUCTION, CANCER AND IMMUNE DEFENSE. Endocr Rev. 2008 Sep 29; Authors: Gibbs GM, Roelants K, O'Bryan MK The cysteine-rich secretory proteins, antigen 5 and pathogenesis-related 1 proteins (CAP) superfamily members are found in a remarkable range of organisms spanning each of the animal kingdoms. Within humans and mice there are 31 and 33 individual family members respectively, and although many are poorly characterized, the majority show a notable expression bias to the reproductive tract, immune ...
Source: ENDOCR REV - September 29, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Gibbs GM, Roelants K, O'Bryan MK Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Cellular and Molecular Basis of Deiodinase-Regulated Thyroid Hormone Signaling.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The iodothyronine deiodinases initiate or terminate thyroid hormone action, and therefore are critical for the biological effects mediated by thyroid hormone. Over the years research has focused on their role in preserving serum levels of the biologically active molecule triiodothyronine (T3) during iodine deficiency. More recently, a fascinating new role of these enzymes has been unveiled. The activating deiodinase (D2) and the inactivating deiodinase (D3) can locally increase or decrease thyroid hormone signaling in a tissue- and temporal-specific fashion, independently of changes in thyroid hormone serum concentrati...
Source: ENDOCR REV - September 24, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Gereben B, Zavacki AM, Ribich S, Kim BW, Huang SA, Simonides WS, Zeöld A, Bianco AC Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Joint genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroiditis: from epidemiology to mechanisms.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
JOINT GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TO TYPE 1 DIABETES AND AUTOIMMUNE THYROIDITIS: FROM EPIDEMIOLOGY TO MECHANISMS. Endocr Rev. 2008 Sep 5; Authors: Huber A, Menconi F, Corathers S, Jacobson EM, Tomer Y Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) frequently occur together within families and in the same individual. The co-occurrence of T1D+AITD in the same patient is one of the variants of the autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 3 (APS3 variant [APS3v]). Epidemiological data point to a strong genetic influence on the shared susceptibility to T1D and AITD. Recently, significant progress has been mad...
Source: ENDOCR REV - September 5, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Huber A, Menconi F, Corathers S, Jacobson EM, Tomer Y Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Causes and Metabolic Consequences of Fatty Liver.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease represent a serious threat to the health of the population worldwide. While overall adiposity and particularly visceral adiposity are established risk factors for these diseases, in the recent years fatty liver emerged as an additional and independent factor. However, the pathophysiology of fat accumulation in the liver and the cross-talk of fatty liver with other tissues involved in metabolism in humans are not fully understood. Here we discuss the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic fat accumulation, particularly the roles of body fat distribution, nutrition, ...
Source: ENDOCR REV - August 21, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Stefan N, Kantartzis K, Häring HU Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Vitamin D and Human Health: Lessons from Vitamin D Receptor Null Mice.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The vitamin D endocrine system is essential for calcium and bone homeostasis. The precise mode of action and the full spectrum of activities of the vitamin D hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)2D], can now be better evaluated by critical analysis of mice with engineered deletion of the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Absence of a functional VDR or the key activating enzyme, 25-OHD-1alpha-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), in mice creates a bone and growth plate phenotype that mimics humans with the same congenital disease or severe vitamin D deficiency. The intestine is the key target for the VDR because high calcium intake, or ...
Source: ENDOCR REV - August 11, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Bouillon R, Carmeliet G, Verlinden L, van Etten E, Verstuyf A, Luderer HF, Lieben L, Mathieu C, Demay M Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Resolving the Conundrum of Islet Transplantation by Linking Metabolic Dysregulation, Inflammation, and Immune Regulation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
While Type 1 diabetes (T1D) cannot be prevented or reversed, replacement of insulin production by transplantation of the pancreas or pancreatic islets represents a definitive solution. At present, transplantation can restore euglycemia, but this restoration is short-lived, requires islets from multiple donors, and necessitates life-long immunosuppression. An emerging paradigm in transplantation and autoimmunity indicates that systemic inflammation contributes to tissue injury while disrupting immune tolerance. We identify multiple barriers to successful islet transplantation each of which either contributes to the infl...
Source: ENDOCR REV - July 29, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Huang X, Moore DJ, Ketchum RJ, Nunemaker CS, Kovatchev B, McCall AL, Brayman KL Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Transcriptional Control of Energy Homeostasis by the Estrogen-Related Receptors (ERRs).Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Transcriptional control of cellular energy metabolic pathways is achieved by the coordinated action of numerous transcription factors and associated coregulators. Several members of the nuclear receptor superfamily have been shown to play important roles in this process as they can translate hormonal, nutrient and metabolite signals into specific gene expression networks to satisfy energy demands in response to distinct physiological cues. Estrogen-related receptor (ERR) alpha, ERRbeta and ERRgamma are nuclear receptors that have yet to be associated with a natural ligand, and are thus considered as orphan receptors. H...
Source: ENDOCR REV - July 29, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Giguère V Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

{alpha}-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone and related tripeptides Biochemistry, anti-inflammatory and protective effects in vitro and in vivo and future perspectives for the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) is a tridecapeptide derived from the proopiomelanocortin. Many studies over the last years have provided evidence that alpha-MSH has potent protective and anti-inflammatory effects. These effects can be elicited via centrally expressed melanocortin receptors which orchestrate descending neurogenic anti- inflammatory pathways. alpha-MSH can also exert anti-inflammatory and protective effects on cells of the immune system and on peripheral non-immune cell types expressing melanocortin receptors. At the molecular level, alpha-MSH affects various pathways implicated in regul...
Source: ENDOCR REV - July 8, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Brzoska T, Luger TA, Maaser C, Abels C, Böhm M Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals

Glycerolipid metabolism and signaling in health and disease.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
GLYCEROLIPID METABOLISM AND SIGNALING IN HEALTH AND DISEASE. Endocr Rev. 2008 Jul 8; Authors: Prentki M, Murthy Madiraju SR Maintenance of body temperature is achieved partly by modulating lipolysis by a network of complex regulatory mechanisms. Lipolysis is an integral part of the glycerolipid/free fatty acid (GL/FFA) cycle, which is the focus of this review and we discuss the significance of this pathway in the regulation of many physiological processes besides thermogenesis. GL/FFA cycle is referred to as a "futile" cycle as it involves continuous formation and hydrolysis of GL with the release of heat, at t...
Source: ENDOCR REV - July 8, 2008 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Prentki M, Murthy Madiraju SR Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: journals