Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P01189 (beta-endorphin)
 21,003 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

DAX1 gene (Xp21) expression is involved in the development of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal and adrenal axes, and acts as a negative regulator of steroidogenesis. Mutations of this gene determine adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC) and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. We report the case of a 9-month-old boy referred for the study of macrogenitosomia and pubic hair development. He had presented acute adrenal crises in the neonatal period and, later, a clinical picture of peripheral precocious puberty. A mutation in the DAX1 gene was found (Trp291Arg) and a diagnosis of AHC was made. Replacement doses of hydrocortisone (HC) (10 mg/m2/day) failed to produce a feedback inhibition of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and testosterone levels remained high. Testosterone and ACTH values normalized after HC was progressively increased to 18 mg/m2/day. In conclusion, peripheral precocious puberty in patients with DAX1 gene mutations appears to be secondary to the stimulus exerted by ACTH on melanocortin receptors in Leydig cells and to the overexpression of testicular steroidogenesis activators by the loss of transcriptional repression.
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PMID:ACTH-dependent precocious pseudopuberty in an infant with DAX1 gene mutation. 1841 94

We, for the first time, report a boy with West syndrome associated with Klinefelter's syndrome. He developed episodes of repetitive tonic spasms at the age of 4 months. He had developmental delays and hypsarrhythmia on interictal electroencephalography recording. His karyotype turned out to be 47, XXY, while we failed to observe anomalies in his appearance. Adrenocorticotropic hormone therapy with antiepileptic drugs resulted in cessation of tonic spasms, and his developmental quotient was improved by the age of 1 year. Further studies are needed to determine the causal association between West syndrome and Klinefelter's syndrome.
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PMID:Klinefelter's syndrome complicated with West syndrome in a 4-month-old boy. 2147 Aug 6

The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is central to normal reproductive function. This pathway begins with the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in systematic pulses by the hypothalamus. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone is bound by receptors on gonadotroph cells in the anterior pituitary gland and stimulates the synthesis and secretion of luteinizing hormone and, to some extent, follicle-stimulating hormone. Once stimulated by these glycoprotein hormones, the gonads begin gametogenesis and the synthesis of sex hormones. In humans, mutations of the forkhead transcription factor, FOXP3, lead to an autoimmune disorder known as immunodysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, and enteropathy, X-linked syndrome. Mice with a mutation in the Foxp3 gene have a similar autoimmune syndrome and are infertile. To understand why FOXP3 is required for reproductive function, we are investigating the reproductive phenotype of Foxp3 mutant mice (Foxp3(sf/Y)). Although the gonadotroph cells appear to be intact in Foxp3(sf/Y) mice, luteinizing hormone beta (Lhb) and follicle-stimulating hormone beta (Fshb) expression are significantly decreased, demonstrating that these mice exhibit a hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Hypothalamic expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone is not significantly decreased in Foxp3(sf/Y) males. Treatment of Foxp3(sf/Y) males with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor agonist does not rescue expression of Lhb or Fshb. Interestingly, we do not detect Foxp3 expression in the pituitary or hypothalamus, suggesting that the infertility seen in Foxp3(sf/Y) males is a secondary effect, possibly due to loss of FOXP3 in immune cells. Pituitary expression of glycoprotein hormone alpha (Cga) and prolactin (Prl) are significantly reduced in Foxp3(sf/Y) males, whereas the precursor for adrenocorticotropic hormone, pro-opiomelanocortin (Pomc), is increased. Human patients diagnosed with IPEX often exhibit thyroiditis due to destruction of the thyroid gland by autoimmune cells. We find that Foxp3(sf/Y) mice have elevated expression of thyroid-stimulating hormone beta (Tshb), suggesting that they may suffer from thyroiditis as well. Expression of the pituitary transcription factors, Pitx1, Pitx2, Lhx3, and Egr1, is normal; however, expression of Foxl2 and Gata2 is elevated. These data are the first to demonstrate a defect at the pituitary level in the absence of FOXP3, which contributes to the infertility observed in mice with Foxp3 loss of function mutations.
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PMID:The forkhead transcription factor, FOXP3, is required for normal pituitary gonadotropin expression in mice. 2235 47

Regulation of sexual reproduction and energy homeostasis are closely interconnected, but only few efforts were made to explore the impact of gonadotropic neurons on metabolic processes. We have used Nscl-2 mutant mice suffering from adult onset of obesity and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism to study effects of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons on neuronal circuits controlling energy balance. Inactivation of Nscl-2 in GnRH neurons but not in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons reduced POMC neurons and increased visceral fat mass, suggesting a critical role of GnRH cells in the regulation of POMC neurons. In contrast, absence of POMC processing in the majority of Nscl-2-deficient POMC neurons had no effect on energy homeostasis. Finally, we investigated the cellular basis of the reduction of GnRH neurons in NSCL-2 mutants using a lineage tracing approach. We found that loss of Nscl-2 results in aberrant migration of GnRH neurons in Nscl-2 mutant mice causing a lineage switch of ectopically located GnRH neurons.
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PMID:Loss of NSCL-2 in gonadotropin releasing hormone neurons leads to reduction of pro-opiomelanocortin neurons in specific hypothalamic nuclei and causes visceral obesity. 2378 58

A 47-year-old Caucasian man was referred to our clinic with a severe clinical and biochemical phenotype of endogenous hypercortisolism for further evaluation and treatment. In addition to confirming adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent Cushing's syndrome, we found left temporal hemianopsia, massively increased prolactin, increased growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 values, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and central hypothyroidism. As the cause of these abnormalities we revealed an invasive macroadenoma of the pituitary secreting ACTH, prolactin and growth hormone, resulting not only in a clinically predominant picture of Cushing's syndrome but also causing hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and central hypothyroidism. The patient responded surprisingly well to dopamine agonist treatment leading not only to normalisation of prolactin levels but also to clinical and biochemical remission of Cushing's syndrome. Tumour size decreased successively in follow-up MRI scans. Despite lacking immunohistochemical analysis of tumour tissue, we assume plurihormonal secretion of ACTH, prolactin and growth hormone from pituitary macroadenoma, which fortunately responded well to dopamine agonist treatment.
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PMID:Dopamine agonist-responsive Cushing's disease. 3076 54


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