ACTA ENDOCRINOLOGICA (BUC)

Context. Studies indicate a decrease in spatial memory across species as they age. Moreover, consistent administration of Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) improves learning abilities in older rats that have undergone gonadectomy. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the GnRH agonist, leuprolide acetate (LA) on spatial memory in aged intact male rats and the expression of proteins associated with hippocampal plasticity. Subjects and methods. Aged male rats were injected with LA or saline every three days for nine weeks to assess the effects of LA on spatial memory. The aged rats were trained in the Morris Water Maze for four days, and the evaluation took place on the fifth day. Additionally, the Y-maze test was used to investigate short-term spatial memory. The expression of spinophilin and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) in the hippocampus was measured. Results. Behavioral tests revealed that LA improves spatial memory in aged rats. Additionally, we observed increased expression of spinophilin and MAP2 in the hippocampus of aged male rats following LA treatment. Based on these results, the administration of LA holds is a potential treatment for restoring cognitive function in aged individuals.

We present the case-report of a 56 years-old woman with hypothyroidism due to autoimmune thyroiditis. The family history was positive for biopsy proven celiac disease (CD) in her daughter. The patient declared gluten-containing diet and was completely asymptomatic regarding gastrointestinal tract. The serological screening for CD reflected an activity of the disease by the presence of antiendomysial antibodies (EMA). Consequently, an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed and biopsy specimens were obtained. The standard histopathological examination was unremarkable for a defined CD. However, the results of immunohistological techniques showed intestinal IgA deposits compatible with early developing CD. In patients with family history of CD, even without any suggestive symptoms, high index of suspicion regarding CD should be kept even more in those associating other autoimmune disease.

Endemic goiter and primary hyperparathyroidism are two common endocrine disorders, and, consequently, they could coexist in many European countries. The prevalence of nodular goiters is increased in the patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, ranging widely between 22 to 70%, with higher prevalence in endemic goiter areas.\r\nRomania is a country having both endemic goiter and a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. Coexisting vitamin D deficiency is associated with more cases of symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism or may mask a primary hyperparathyroidism, serum calcium being in the normal range.\r\nBecause of the frequent association of parathyroid adenomas with thyroid nodules, the optimal imaging combination is 99mTc-sestamibi and ultrasonography. Thyroid nodules can give false positive results at preoperative scintigraphy because they trap and retain 99mTc-sestamibi similarly as parathyroid adenomas.\r\nBilateral neck exploration (vs minimally invasive parathyroidectomy) is probably necessary in the treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism associated with nodular goiter, because nodular goiters increases the difficulty of preoperative localization of parathyroid lesion(s).

Objective: The goal of this research is to investigate whether melatonin, a circadian informant, is implicated in idiopathic oligospermia in men.\r\nSubjects and methods: 12 men (mean age 30.5 yr) with normal sexual function diagnosed with idiopathic oligospermia and 8 healthy men were included. In urine 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), a reliable index of melatonin secretion and gonadotropins, LH and FSH were assayed. In plasma LH, FSH, DHEA-S, 17-OH progesterone, testosterone, free testosterone, SHBG were measured at 08:00.\r\nResults: As expected, in the infertile group reproductive hormones were within normal limits but persisted low testosterone and high gonadotropins. Estimated bioavailable testosterone also showed a significant decrease (p=0.03). Evaluation of individual differences in circadian production of both melatonin and gonadotropins exhibited substantial changes in their secretion pattern from the phase shifts to loss of rhythm for aMT6s. The reduced amplitudes (p=0.04) of aMT6s were associated with a longer duration of melatonin secretion (p< 0.001) as estimated from onset/offset time and a reduced ratio between night- and daytime; the mean 24h amount of aMT6s tended to decrease at significant limit (p=0.05); no significant correlation between aMT6s and gonadotropins was observed compared with the control group. The amplitudes of gonadotropins were lower while their mean 24 h amount showed a moderate increase.\r\nConclusions: The present findings suggest that the significant increase in the duration of melatonin secretion may contribute to the imbalance of reproductive hormones that affect spermatogenesis; aMT6s, urinary metabolite of melatonin may be a sensitive predictor in circadian disorders of reproductive axis.

Background. Thyroid hormone participates in lipid metabolism regulation. However, the effects on triacyleride or triacylglycerol metabolism are complex and not fully clarified yet. In this study, we try to identify novel thyroid hormone-targeting lipogenic metabolic genes and analyze their molecular regulative mechanism. Method. Thirty-five promoters of twenty-nine human lipogenic regulative enzyme genes were constructed into pXP1 luciferase reporter plasmid (PFK2/FBP2-luc) and transfected into HeGP2 cells, respectively. Gene expression induced by triiodothyronine (T3) was detected by luciferase assay. The T3-activated gene promoter was then analyzed by sequence analysis, deletion and mutation, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Results. After 10 nM T3 stimulation for 36 h, phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, Glycerol- 3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) 3, and 1-acylglycerol-3- phosphate O-acyltransferase (AGPAT) 2 were significantly activated, respectively. A AGGTCA-like-direct-repeat-4 consensus thyroid hormone response element (DR4-TRE)- like sequence was found in the GPAT3 promoter, which was then verified to be necessary for T3-induced GPAT3 activation by gene deletion and mutation analysis. EMSA further identified that T3-thyroid receptor (TR) α-retinoid-X receptor (RXR) complex directly bound on the GPAT3 promoter. Conclusion. Triiodothyronine could activate the GPAT3 through DR4-TRE-like sequence binding to participate in lipogenic regulation. AGPAT2 may be another thyroid hormone target enzyme.

Recent updates on the epidemiology, diagnosis, complications and therapy in acromegaly have been published in the 1st 2017 issue of Pituitary journal. A review of 12 epidemiological studies published since 2004 shows that the prevalence of acromegaly ranges 2.8 - 13.7 cases per 100,000 people and the annual incidence rates range 0.2 - 1.1 cases/100,000 people. The median age at diagnosis ranges between 40.5 and 47 years. At the time of diagnosis, over 2/3 of the patients have macroadenomas. Acromegalic osteopathy is characterized by increase in bone turnover, alterations in bone microarchitecture and high risk of vertebral fractures, which occur in about 1/3 of acromegaly patients. Fractures may occur even in the presence of normal bone mineral density (BMD), in close relationship with male gender, hypogonadism, and active acromegaly. Following treatment for acromegaly in 48 patients, the mean trabecular bone score decreased by 3.0 (±7.0) %, whereas BMD at the lumbar spine increased by 3.2 (±4.9) % (both P<0.01). Alterations in trabecular bone architecture may explain the persistent fracture risk despite the increase in BMD after disease control. Stereotactic radiotherapy in acromegaly after surgery and/or during medical therapy provide tumor control in 93–100% of patients at 5–10 years and endocrinological remission in 40–60% of patients at 5 years, with a hypopituitarism rate of 10-50% at 5 years. Hypofractionated radiosurgery is an optimal option for tumors located near the optic structures, due to its lower toxicity for the optic nerves compared to single-dose radiosurgery. A dose-response model for visual pathway tolerance to SRS has been recently published.

About 250 patients with acquired partial lipodystrophy (Barraquer-Simons) syndrome have been reported so far. It is characterized by the loss of adipose tissue from the face and upper extremities, and accumulated fat in the rest of the body. The disease usually starts in females during childhood or adolescence, and usually after a febrile illness. Fat loss often comes into view in months or years. We present a 23-year-old female patient with acquired partial lipodystrophy , which is rarely seen.

Introduction. Menopause increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in women. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the effects of swimming training on cardiac histology and expression of miR-29 and IGF-1 in the ovariectomized rats. Materials and methods. Thirty female Wistar rats were divided into sham and ovariectomized groups: sedentary control (OVX) and trained with 8 weeks exercise (OVX.E). On 57th day, blood was collected and used for lipid profile measurement. In addition, heart tissue was analyzed by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction for IGF- 1 mRNA and miR-29, and studied for histopathological changes. Results. Ovariectomy significantly decreased miR- 29 and IGF-1 expression in the heart compared to sham animals group (p<0.05). Exercise training increased miR-29 and IGF- 1 expression in the trained rats and improved histology and lipid profile compared with OVX group (p<0.05). Conclusion. Estrogen deficiency could lead to cardiac fibrosis through deregulation miR-29 and IGF-1 expression. The findings of the current study suggests a protective effect of exercise on heart against fibrotic changes in ovariectomized rats and support a potential preventive value of exercise in improving cardiac function after menopause.