Stress neuropeptides in the human endometrium: Paracrine effects on cell differentiation and apoptosis

Achille Gravanis, Antonis Makrigiannakis, Ekaterini Chatzaki, Emmanuel Zoumakis, Christos Tsatsanis, Andrew N. Margioris

Human endometrium exhibits characteristics of a neuroendocrine-like stress organ in addition to its classical role as the main target of ovarian steroid hormones. Indeed, the epithelial cells of human endometrium express the stress-associated neuropeptide genes corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), proopiomelanocortin, proenkephalin and prodynorphin…

Treatment of advanced neuroendocrine tumours with the radiolabelled somatostatin analogue octreotide

Gregory A. Kaltsas, Zoe Stefanidou, Dimitris Papadogias, Ashley B. Grossman

Neuroendocrine tumours (NET) have a particular tendency to express functional receptors and/or uptake mechanisms. Radionuclides, such as 111In-pentetreotide, a somatostatin analogue, which bind to somatostatin receptors, present an imaging modality that has been used for both the diagnosis and staging of NET…

Endemic Goiter – an update

Demetrios A. Koutras

“Goiter” means thyroid enlargement, and “endemic” means frequent in a certain locality. The problem is from what volume and up a thyroid is considered to be large enough as to be classified as goiter and also from what prevalence and up an area is considered to be endemic. It is obvious that by playing with these definitions one may increase or decrease …

Compensatory adrenal growth in relation to stress of surgery and estradiol in adult male rats

Nicholas Bikas, Joan Gribisi, Joan Messari and Anastasia Sfikakis

ACTH infusion at the time of unilateral adrenalectomy inhibits the early rapid compensatory growth (CAG) in the remaining adrenal. We examined the hypothesis that different duration of surgery and/or the enhanced response to the stress of surgery, induced by estradiol treatment, might modify CAG. Adult male rats untreated …

Differentiated thyroid cancer in Greece: 1963-2000. Relation to demographic and environmental factors

Ioannis Ilias, Maria Alevizaki, Elli Lakka-Papadodima, Demetrios A. Koutras

Thyroid cancer (TC) is a relatively rare neoplasia, accounting for 0.35%-0.38% of total deaths due to cancer in Greece. Environmental/nutritional factors are considered to play a role in its pathogenesis. The aim of this retrospective review of patients’ histories from three of the largest specialized centers in southern Greece, from 1963 to 2000…

β-thalassemia and gonadal axis: a cross-sectional, clinical study in a Greek population

John Papadimas, Dimitrios G. Goulis, Eudokia Mandala, George Georgiadis, Vassiliki Zournatzi, Basil C. Tarlatzis, John N. Bontis

β-thalassemia (β-thal) is characterized by disturbances of the reproductive system. The aim of the present study was: 1) to assess the hypothalamic _ pituitary – gonadal axis in patients with β-thal in relation to their phenotype and 2) to determine prognostic features of current gonadal status. We studied 135 patients (67 males and 68 females) with β-thal through history…

Pitutaty insufficiency. Diagnosis masked by a toxic thyroid adenoma

Maria Alevizaki, Lia-Angela Moulopoulos, Emily Mantzos, Demetrios A. Koutras

A patient with undiagnosed pituitary insufficiency who also had a toxic thyroid adenoma is presented. The T3 secreted by the adenoma apparently corrected the secondary thyroid failure, but also aggravated the secondary adrenal failure and almost precipitated adrenal crisis. The diagnostic work-up in such an unusual co-existence is discussed…