Endocrine Journal 

About: Endocrine Journal is an academic journal published by Japan Endocrine Society. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Thyroid & Diabetes mellitus. It has an ISSN identifier of 0918-8959. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 3799 publications have been published receiving 78631 citations. The journal is also known as: Endocr. J..

Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of primary aldosteronism -The Japan Endocrine Society 2009-

Abstract: The Japan Endocrine Society (JES) attempted to develop guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of primary aldosteronism (PA). The Task Force Committee (TFC) was composed of a chair, selected by the JES, and additional experts. Systematic reviews of available evidence for Japanese patients were used to recommend the key treatment and prevention. We have evaluated the methods of screening, confirmatory tests and imaging, plus adrenal vein sampling (AVS). Consensus was guided by systematic review of evidence and discussion during each annual meeting of the JES, plus its related meetings, and by e-mail communication. The drafts prepared by TFC were reviewed successively by the members of Research on Intractable Diseases provided by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and in comments from the JES’s councilors. At each stage of review, TFC received written comments and incorporated suggested changes. In conclusion, all patients with hypertension should be screened for PA, because of the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease and the current low case-detection rate in Japan. Case detection can be performed in hypertensive patients and those with hypokalemia by determining the aldosterone/renin ratio, and the diagnosis of PA can be confirmed by two of three confirmatory tests. The presence of a unilateral aldosterone-producing adenoma should be established/excluded by AVS by an experienced radiologist, optimally followed by laparoscopic adrenalectomy. In contrast, patients with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, or those unsuitable for surgery, are optimally treated medically with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists.

Positive Relationship between Androgen and the Endocrine Disruptor, Bisphenol A, in Normal Women and Women with Ovarian Dysfunction

Abstract: This study was performed to investigate the serum levels of bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor, in women with ovarian dysfunction and obesity. Fasting serum samples were obtained from 19 non-obese and 7 obese women with normal menstrual cycles: 7 patients with hyperprolactinemia, 21 patients with hypothalamic amenorrhea, and 13 non-obese and 6 obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). BPA was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. BPA was detected in all human sera. Serum BPA concentrations were significantly higher in both non-obese and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (1.05 +/- 0.10 ng/ml, 1.17 +/- 0.16 ng/ml; p<0.05, respectively) and obese normal women (1.04 +/- 0.09 ng/ml, p<0.05) compared with those in non-obese normal women (0.71 +/- 0.09 ng/ml). There was no difference among women with hyperprolactinemia, women with hypothalamic amenorrhea, and non-obese normal women. There were significant positive correlations between serum BPA and total testosterone (r = 0.391, p<0.001), free testosterone (r = 0.504, p<0.001), androstenedione (r = 0.684, p<0.001), and DHEAS (r = 0.514, p<0.001) concentrations in all subjects. These findings show that there is a strong relationship between serum BPA and androgen concentrations, speculatively due to the effect of androgen on the metabolism of BPA.

Stimulation by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 of insulin receptor expression and insulin responsiveness for glucose transport in U-937 human promonocytic cells.

Abstract: In the present work, we demonstrate that treatment with 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 for 24 hours increased n a dose-dependent manner the levels of the two major insulin receptor (IR) mRNAs (11 and 8.5Kb) present in U-937 human promonocytic cells. These levels reached maximum values (1.8-fold 11Kb; 1.4-fold 8.5Kb) with the addition of 10-8M 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. In these optimal conditions the stimulatory effect of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was accompanied by increases in both IR capacity, and insulin responsiveness for glucose transport in these cells. Moreover, such increases appear to be mediated by an enhanced expression of the receptor for 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, measured at the level of both RNA and protein. These results provide evidence of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 acting as genomic stimulator of the insulin response in the control of glucose transport.

The role of gut hormones and the hypothalamus in appetite regulation

Abstract: The World Health Organisation has estimated that by 2015 approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million obese. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular events, stroke and cancer. The hypothalamus is a crucial region for integrating signals from central and peripheral pathways and plays a major role in appetite regulation. In addition, there are reciprocal connections with the brainstem and higher cortical centres. In the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, there are two major neuronal populations which stimulate or inhibit food intake and influence energy homeostasis. Within the brainstem, the dorsal vagal complex plays a role in the interpretation and relaying of peripheral signals. Gut hormones act peripherally to modulate digestion and absorption of nutrients. However, they also act as neurotransmitters within the central nervous system to control food intake. Peptide YY, pancreatic polypeptide, glucagon-like peptide-1 and oxyntomodulin suppress appetite, whilst ghrelin increases appetite through afferent vagal fibres to the caudal brainstem or directly to the hypothalamus. A better understanding of the role of these gut hormones may offer the opportunity to develop successful treatments for obesity. Here we review the current understanding of the role of gut hormones and the hypothalamus on food intake and body weight control.