ACTA ENDOCRINOLOGICA (BUC)

Background. Lithium, a well known antimanic drug, has adverse effects on endocrine functions; but it is unknown in aged animals.\r\nAim. Untoward effects of lithium on thyroidal and extra-thyroidal thyroid hormones were investigated in adult and aged rats.\r\nMaterials and methods. Lithium was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 2 mEq/kg\r\nbody weight daily to one group of rats for 10 days and the other for 25 days respectively. Thyroid and serum T3 and T4, and extrathyroidal liver and kidney T3and T4 levels were\r\nmeasured by ELISA. Pituitary and serum TSH-like substance was determined using a human-TSH immunoassay kit. Thyroperoxidase profile was measured spectrophotometrically.\r\nResults. Lithium decreased thyroid and serum T3 and T4 levels, and increased pituitary and serum TSH-like profiles after 10 and 25 days of treatments respectively in adult and aged rats. Thyroperoxidase activity was decreased in all the treatments of adult and aged rats. Liver\r\nand kidney T3 and T4 profiles were also decreased in lithium recipients. Lithium actions were severe after 10 days of treatment in adult rats and 25 days treatment in aged rats.\r\nConclusion. Lithium has untoward effects on thyroid and extra-thyroidal thyroid hormone synthesis irrespective of the age of rats.

Cushing syndrome in the paediatric age group is very difficult to diagnose due to atypical presenting features in children. Primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD) is a rare cause of ACTH-independent Cushing syndrome in children and it has characteristic gross and microscopic pathologic features. We report a case of PPNAD in a 16-year-old boy who was evaluated in our hospital with chief complaints of poor height velocity and rapid weight gain for 2-3 years before presentation. Proper evaluation showed ACTH-independent Cushing syndrome with normal imaging. Total bilateral adrenalectomy was performed followed by hormones replacement. 6 months after surgery, significant acceleration of height velocity was noticed. Patient also lost body weight and developed secondary sexual characteristics.

Context. The grey mullet, Mugil cephalus, is an edible fish of high economic importance. Breeding biology with reference to hormonal/growth factor regulation of oocyte maturation needs to be known for its commercial production. Objective. The present study was conducted to examine the potency of maturation inducing hormones, chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), bovine-insulin, and insulin like growth factor1 (h-IGF-1) I on ovarian steroidogenesis and oocyte maturation. Design. The role of hormones and growth factors on steroidogenesis and oocyte maturation was investigated using specific inhibitors, Wortmannin for phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI3) kinase, trilostane for 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 1-octanol and 1-heptanol for gap junctions, actinomycin D for transcription and cycloheximide for translation of signal molecules. Methods. Actions of hormonal and growth factors were examined for steroidogenesis, by radioimmunoassay and oocyte maturation by germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Specific inhibitors were used to determine the cell signaling pathways, PI3 kinase. Results. All the inhibitors attenuated the hCGinduced oocyte maturation (GVBD%), steroidogenesis including transcription, translation, gap junctions and PI3 kinase signaling. These inhibitors failed to inhibit h-IGF-I and b-insulin-induced oocyte maturation, steroidogenesis, translation and PI3 kinase signaling. Conclusion. hCG induces oocyte maturation via steroid dependent pathway involving gap junctions, transcription, translation and PI3 kinase signaling, unlike h-IGF-I and b-insulin in the mullet.

Background. Scintigraphy using 99mTcpertechnetate (TS) is the diagnostic test to differentiate thyroiditis following Graves’ disease (GD) from painless thyroiditis (PT). However, TS may be contraindicated or unavailable. Objective. We compared the diagnostic effectiveness of two TSH receptor antibody (TRAb) immunoassays in untreated PT, already confirmed by qualitative and quantitative(99m) Tc-pertechnetate thyroid uptake (TCTU). Method. TRAb assay and TS were performed in suspected PT patients. All 67 subjects (27 males) with confirmed diagnosis of PT based on qualitative (subjective) low uptake and quantitative uptake below 0.4% (Normal TcTU: 0.4-4%) . During the period of study, we used two 2nd generation TRAb assays. Result. Mean age, TSH, free T4 and TcTU were 40.5± 12.7 years, 0.066±0.089 mIU/L, 2.46±2.18 ng/mL and 0.188±0.0503% respectively. Fifteen (22.39%) of our PT patients were TRAb positive. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV and NPV of TRAb in predicting thyroiditis were 81%, 75%, 78.2%, 83.6% and 74.4% in Assay 1. The same parameters were 74%, 64%, 71.2%, 76.8% and 62.7% respectively in TRAb Assay 2. However, ROC curve did not reveal any difference between the two assays. Conclusion. Negative TRAb value does not reliably distinguish PT from mild GD, in situations where TS is contraindicated or unavailable.