ACTA ENDOCRINOLOGICA (BUC)

Objectives. Despite extensive research on endometrial cancer (EC) and endometrial hyperplasia, there is still a gap in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying their development and progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression levels of FOXO-1, P27Kip1, miR-27, and miR-186, and Akt1, Akt-P proteins in patients with EC and endometrial hyperplasia compared to control subjects. Subjects and methods. Samples of the endometrial tumor (n=30), normal (control) (n=30) and endometrial hyperplastic (n=30) tissue were obtained from patients referring to Arash and Imam Khomani hospitals, Tehran, Iran. Expression levels of genes and microRNAs were evaluated by qRT- PCR. Western blot analysis was applied for protein evaluation. The data were analyzed using t-test, Mann -Whitney U, Pearson correlation coefficient analysis, ANCOVA and ANOVA. Results. There was significant decrease in FOXO-1 in EC tissue compared to control tissue (p<0.05). Significant increase was observed in expression of miR-27 in patients with EC (p<0.001) and hyperplasia (p<0.01), whereas miR-186 expression level increased significantly only in patients with EC (p<0.05). P27Kip1 expression level did not significantly change in patients with EC and hyperplasia. There was a significant association between expression levels of miR-27 with FOXO-1 and P27Kip1 in patients with EC. Western blot analysis revealed higher endometrial AKT1-P protein levels in patients with EC and hyperplasia than control subjects (p<0.05). Conclusions. Our findings suggest that FOXO-1, miR-27, miR-186, and Akt1-P/Akt1 protein have the potential to serve as tissue biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognosis, and progression of EC in the human reproductive system.

Context. Vitamin D, a fat-soluble prohormone, is synthesized in response to sunlight and plays several roles in the body. Objectives. To determine Vitamin D status among healthy, young female medical students studying at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to study the effects of nutritional and environmental factors on Vitamin D level. Study design. It is a prospective, observational, cross-sectional study conducted between December 2012 and March 2013. Subjects and methods. One hundred and seventy eight healthy medical students participated in the study. Each subject completed a questionnaire about vitamin D deficiency and attitude towards related environmental and nutritional factors, including duration of sunlight exposure, and vitamin D supplements. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase were obtained.Results. The mean serum vitamin D level of the study group was 41.41±29.31 mmol/L (normal 75–250 mmol/L). Out of 178 participants, 126 (70.8%) were vitamin D deficient (<50 mmol/L), 29 (16.3%) had insufficient vitamin D (50–75 mmol/L), and 23 (12.9%) had normal vitamin D level (>75 mmol/L), with mean serum levels of 25.52±10.89, 62.84±7.04 and 101.41±9.1 mmol/L, respectively. In comparison between vitamin D deficient and nondeficient groups, daily milk consumption (P < 0.001), use of vitamin D supplements (P < 0.0001), and frequency of sun exposure for ≥ 5 days/week (P < 0.006) were significantly higher in the nondeficient group. Conclusion. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among female medical students in Riyadh is high and may be attributed to nutritional, social and environmental factors.

Lingual thyroid is a rare developmental disorder, and it is the result of failure of the thyroid gland to descend from the tongue root to its normal site. The ectopic thyroid with a functioning gland is even rarer. In this case, we present a 44-year-old female patient with a complaint of foreign body sensation, progressive dysphagia and dyspnea due to ectopic thyroid tissue. Her complaints were totally resolved after L-thyroxine treatment. Here we report a patient with functioning ectopic thyroid tissue who had had bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy 10 years ago due to multinodular goiter. In conclusion, if progressive\r\ndysphagia, dyspnea, and foreign body sensation occurs in a patient who had thyroidectomy and living in an endemic goiter region, lingual thyroid may be underlying disorder.