Anna Maria Formenti, Linda Daffini, Ilenia Pirola, Elena Gandossi, Alessandra Cristiano, Carlo Cappelli
Volume 14 (2015)
Editorial
Aleksander Giwercman, Dimitrios G. Goulis, Ilpo Huhtaniemi, Christos Tsatsanis
This issue of HORMONES is dedicated to the Symposium “Endocrine Aspects in Andrology” that took place in Heraklion, Crete, Greece, on 13-15 March, 2015 …
Comments on gestational diabetes mellitus: from pathophysiology to clinical practice
Pavlos Poulakos, Gesthimani Mintziori, Efrosini Tsirou, Eleftheria Taousani, Dimitra Savvaki, Vikentia Harizopoulou, Dimitrios G. Goulis
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a topic of major interest, as it affects up to 16% of pregnant women and may lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, which, however, are preventable by appropriate treatment. The aim of the present study was to discuss basic concepts and to critically appraise recent updates on practical issues …
The role of Notch and Hedgehog signaling pathways in pituitary development and pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas
Maria P. Yavropoulou, Anna Maladaki, John G. Yovos
Pituitary adenomas are usually benign tumors that cause symptoms by compression of surrounding structures or impaired hormone secretion. Treatment, whether surgical or medical depends, on the tumor subtype and degree of compression; however, a significant proportion of patients do not achieve optimal control …
Androgens as double-edged swords: Induction and suppression of follicular development
Jie-Xue Pan, Jun-Yu Zhang, Zhang-Hong Ke, Fang-Fang Wang, John A. Barry, Paul J. Hardiman, Fan Qu
Androgens, which are mediated via the androgen receptor (AR), play important roles in normal follicular development and female fertility. However, just like a double-edged sword, besides the positive effects of androgen on follicular development, abnormal androgen levels, especially as in hyperandrogenism, seriously suppress normal follicular development …
Effect of maternal obesity on pregnancy outcomes and long-term metabolic consequences
Georgios Valsamakis, Evagelia L. Kyriazi, Zadalla Mouslech, Charalampos Siristatidis, George Mastorakos
Recent years have witnessed a worldwide increase in the prevalence of pre-pregnancy maternal obesity. A survey carried out in the USA between 2003 and 2006 reported that 32% of women aged 20-44 years were classified as obese (WHO 2009) …
A short evolutionary history of FSH-stimulated spermatogenesis
Ilpo Huhtaniemi
It is well established in various experimental models that luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulated testosterone (T) production of Leydig cells is the key endocrine stimulus of spermatogenesis. The role of the other gonadotrophin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), is as yet somewhat unclear given that several clinical conditions …
Beyond gut microbiota: understanding obesity and type 2 diabetes
Eva Lau, Davide Carvalho, Cidália Pina-Vaz, José-Adelino Barbosa, Paula Freitas
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are metabolic diseases that have reached epidemic proportions worldwide. Although their etiology is complex, both result from interplay between behaviour, environment and genetic factors. Within ambient determinants, human overall gut bacteria have been identified as a crucial mediator …
Bone status in genetic syndromes: A review
Stefano Stagi, Chiara Iurato, Elisabetta Lapi, Loredana Cavalli, Maria Luisa Brandi, Maurizio de Martino
More and more data seem to indicate the presence of an increasing number of syndromes and genetic diseases characterized by impaired bone mass and quality. Meanwhile, the improvement of etiopathogenetic knowledge and the employment of more adequate treatments have generated a significant increase …
Primary hyperparathyroidism and the road to surgery: appraisal of the proceedings of the four international workshops (1990, 2002, 2008, 2014) on primary hyperparathyroidism
Romanos Sklavenitis-Pistofidis, Ourania Papaioannou, Kalliopi Kotsa
Although surgery is unambiguously recommended for symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) patients, management options for asymptomatic patients have varied between surgery, medications and follow-up. To deal with this issue, four International Workshops have taken place, in 1990, 2002, 2008 and 2014 …
The Sertoli cell as the orchestra conductor of spermatogenesis: spermatogenic cells dance to the tune of testosterone
Fotios Dimitriadis, Chara Tsiampali, Nikolaos Chaliasos, Panagiota Tsounapi, Atsushi Takenaka, Nikolaos Sofikitis
Spermatogenesis is contingent upon hormones and growth factors acting through endocrine and paracrine pathways either in vivo or in vitro. Sertoli cells (SCs) furnish essential factors for the successful advancement of spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis. Moreover, receptors for follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone …
The Sertoli cell: Novel clinical potentiality
Paschalia K. Iliadou, Christos Tsametis, Athina Kaprara, Ioannis Papadimas, Dimitrios G. Goulis
The Sertoli cell is important for endocrine and paracrine control of spermatogenesis. Functions attributed to Sertoli cells are: (1) supportive and trophic functions for the cells of the seminiferous epithelium, (2) transport of mature spermatids towards the lumen of seminiferous tubules, (3) secretion of androgen binding protein …
The efficacy and safety of the naltrexone/bupropion combination for the treatment of obesity: an update
Georgios A. Christou, Dimitrios N. Kiortsis
OBJECTIVE: The combination of 32 mg naltrexone and 360 mg bupropion prolonged release (NB32) was recently approved by both the food and drug administration (FDA) and the European medicines agency (EMA) as an adjunct to a comprehensive lifestyle intervention to achieve weight loss …
Sun lotion chemicals as endocrine disruptors
Sotirios Maipas, Polyxeni Nicolopoulou-Stamati
Ultraviolet solar radiation is a well-known environmental health risk factor and the use of sun lotions is encouraged to achieve protection mainly from skin cancer. Sun lotions are cosmetic commercial products that combine active and inactive ingredients and many of these are associated with health problems …
Pregnancy-Induced hypertension
Evangelia Kintiraki, Sophia Papakatsika, George Kotronis, Dimitrios G. Goulis, Vasilios Kotsis
Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) complicates 6-10% of pregnancies. It is defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) >140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) >90 mmHg. It is classified as mild (SBP 140-149 and DBP 90-99 mmHg), moderate (SBP 150-159 and DBP 100-109 mmHg) and severe (SBP ≥160 and DBP ≥110 mmHg) …
Testicular Descent
Charalampos Mamoulakis, Spyridon Antypas, Frank Sofras, Atsushi Takenaka, Nikolaos Sofikitis
Normal testicular descent (TD) is known to be a complex, multistage process involving the interplay of different anatomical structures, hormones, environmental and genetic factors, but its purpose and the exact etiology of TD impairment remain largely unknown …
Surgical treatment of potentially primary malignant adrenal tumors: an unresolved issue
George N. Zografos, Iraklis Perysinakis, Eustathia Kyrodimou, Eva Kassi, Gregory Kaltsas
Although the great majority of incidentalomas are adrenocortical adenomas, a number of them, depending on the size and radiological characteristics of the lesions, will turn out to be carcinomas. These tumors may present as suspicious on initial evaluation and potentially malignant or malignant on histology …
Study of common variants of the apolipoprotein E and lipoprotein lipase genes in patients with coronary heart disease and variable body mass index
Genovefa D. Kolovou, Vana Kolovou, Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos, Ioannis Vasiliadis, Vassiliki Giannakopoulou, Peggy M. Kostakou, Vassiliki Vartela, Sophie Mavrogeni
OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we evaluated the influence of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and apolipoprotein (apo) E polymorphisms on lipid concentrations of 178 Greek men of similar age with coronary heart disease (CHD), but varying body mass index (BMI). DESIGN: Patients were divided according to their BMI …
Predictors of post-traumatic pituitary failure during long-term follow-up
Orsolya Nemes, Noemi Kovacs, Endre Czeiter, Peter Kenyeres, Zita Tarjanyi, Laszlo Bajnok, Andras Buki, Tamas Doczi, Emese Mezosi
OBJECTIVE: There is increasing awareness among physicians of the risks of traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced hypopituitarism. We have assessed the prevalence and risk factors of post-traumatic hypopituitarism by analyzing the TBI database of the University of Pecs …
Thyroid diseases during pregnancy: A number of important issues
Gerasimos Krassas, Spyridon N. Karras, Nikolaos Pontikides
The most common thyroid diseases during pregnancy are hyper- and hypothyroidism and their variants including isolated hypothyroxinemia (hypo-T4), autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) and different types of goiter. AITD represents the main cause of hypothyroidism during pregnancy ranging in prevalence between 5 and 20% …
Klinefelter Syndrome and medical treatment: hypogonadism and beyond
Simon Chang, Anne Skakkebæk, Claus Højbjerg Gravholt
Klinefelter syndrome (KS), though described more than 70 years ago, still imposes significant diagnostic challenges. Based on data from epidemiological studies, KS is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Although the pathophysiology and etiology behind these observations are as yet not well understood …
Maternal vitamin D status in pregnancy: a critical appraisal of current analytical data on maternal and neonatal outcomes
Spyridon N. Karras, Panagiotis Anagnostis, Andrea Petroczi, Cedric Annweiler, Declan P. Naughton, Dimitrios G. Goulis
Maternal hypovitaminosis D during pregnancy has been associated with a wide spectrum of adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes, some manifesting stronger associations than others. Research in this field has entered the “era of systematic data evaluation” via the conducting of a series of meta-analyses in an attempt to synthesize …
Age and the metabolic syndrome affect salivary cortisol rhythm: data from a community sample
Filippo Ceccato, Mattia Barbot, Marialuisa Zilio, Sergio Ferasin, Paola De Lazzari, Laura Lizzul, Marco Boscaro and Carla Scaroni
Objective: Measurement of cortisol levels in saliva is a marker of free hormone. How salivary cortisol rhythm is affected by age, gender, the metabolic syndrome and estrogen-progestin therapy was evaluated in a community sample of adults …
The impact of adipose tissue-derived factors on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis
Christos Tsatsanis, Eirini Dermitzaki, Pavlina Avgoustinaki, Niki Malliaraki, Vasilis Mytaras, Andrew N. Margioris
Adipose tissue produces factors, including adipokines, cytokines and chemokines which, when released, systemically exert endocrine effects on multiple tissues thereby affecting their physiology. Adipokines also affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis both centrally, at the hypothalamic-pituitary level …
NGAL and cystatin C: two possible early markers of diabetic nephropathy in young patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: one year follow up
Nektraria Papadopoulou-Marketou, Chrysanthi Skevaki, Ioanna Kosteria, Melpomeni Peppa, George P. Chrousos, Ioannis Papassotiriou, Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein
OBJECTIVE: Diabetic nephropathy constitutes a major long-term complication in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) and its diagnosis is based on microalbuminuria. The aim of this observational follow-up study was to explore the role of neutrophil-gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and cystatin C in unravelling early diabetic nephropathy even in patients with normoalbuminuria …