ABSTRACT Objective: Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) is an autoimmune disease that leads to ocular proptosis caused by fat accumulation and inflammation, and the main treatment is corticosteroid therapy. Retinoid acid receptor-alpha (RARα) seems to be associated with inflammation and adipocyte differentiation. This study aimed to assess the effect of glucocorticoid treatment on orbital fibroblasts of GO patient treated or not with different glucocorticoid doses. Materials and methods: Orbital fibroblasts collected during orbital decompression of a female patient with moderately severe/severe GO were cultivated and treated with 10 nM and 100 nM dexamethasone (Dex). rRARα gene expression in the treated and untreated cells was then compared. Results: Fibroblast RARα expression was not affected by 100 nM Dex. On the other hand, RARα expression was 24% lower in cells treated with 10 nM Dex (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Orbital fibroblasts from a GO patient expressed the RARα gene, which was unaffected by higher, but decreased with lower doses of glucocorticoid.

Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) is one of the most severe clinical manifestations of Graves’ disease (GD), and its treatment might involve high-dose glucocorticoid therapy. The higher incidence of GO among females, and the reported association between polymorphisms of estrogen receptor (ER) and GD susceptibility have led us to question the role of estrogen and its receptor in GO pathogenesis. We, thus, assessed estrogen receptor-alpha (ERA) gene expression in cultures of orbital fibroblasts from a patient with GO before (controls) and after treatment with 10 nM and 100 nM dexamethasone (DEX). Orbital fibroblasts showed ERA gene expression. In the cells treated with 10 nM and 100 nM DEX, ERA gene expression was, respectively, 85% higher and 74% lower, than in the control group. We concluded that ERA gene expression is found in the orbital fibroblasts of patient with GO, which may be affected by glucocorticoids in a dose-related manner. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2015;59(3):273-6

OBJETIVO: O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar os genes PROP1 e HESX1 em um grupo de pacientes com displasia septo-óptica (DSO) e deficiência hormonal hipofisária (combinada - DHHC; ou deficiência isolada de GH - DGH). Onze pacientes com apresentação clínica e bioquímica consistente com DHHC, DGH ou DSO foram avaliados. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Em todos os pacientes, o gene HESX1 foi analisado pelo sequenciamento direto e, nos casos de DHHC, o gene PROP1 foi também sequenciado. RESULTADOS: Um polimorfismo no gene HESX1 (1772 A > G; N125S) foi identificado em um paciente com DSO. Foram encontrados três pacientes portadores da variação alélica 27 T > C; A9A e 59 A > G; N20S no éxon 1 do gene PROP1. Mutações no gene PROP1 e HESX1 não foram identificadas nesses pacientes com DGH, DHHC e DSO esporádicos. CONCLUSÃO: Alterações genéticas em um ou diversos outros genes ou mecanismos não genéticos devem estar implicados nesse processo patogênico.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed at evaluating the PROP1 and HESX1 genes in a group of patients with septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) and pituitary hormone deficiency (combined - CPHD; isolated GH deficiency - GHD). Eleven patients with a clinical and biochemical presentation consistent with CPHD, GHD or SOD were evaluated. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In all patients, the HESX1 gene was analyzed by direct sequence analysis and in cases of CPHD the PROP1 gene was also sequenced. RESULTS: A polymorphism (1772 A > G; N125S) was identified in a patient with SOD. We found three patients carrying the allelic variants 27 T > C; A9A and 59 A > G; N20S in exon 1 of the PROP1 gene. Mutations in the PROP1 and HESX1 genes were not identified in these patients with sporadic GHD, CPHD and SOD. CONCLUSION: Genetic alterations in one or several other genes, or non-genetic mechanisms, must be implicated in the pathogenic process.

OBJETIVO: Para compreender melhor a ação da triiodotironina (T3) agonista de estrógeno (E2), foram comparados os efeitos destes hormônios em células de câncer de mama MDA-MB-231 ER negativas com um clone de MDA-MB-231, transfectado estavelmente com o cDNA de ERα (S30), em termos de proliferação e modulação dos receptores hormonais. RESULTADOS: Experimentos de crescimento mostraram que MDA-MB-231 não foi modulada por qualquer hormônio ou pelo tamoxifeno (TAM). O crescimento de S30 foi essencialmente inalterado por tratamento com E2 10-9M ou 10-8M, mas T3 10-8M inibiu significativamente a proliferação quando comparada a ambas concentrações de E2. Esse efeito não foi revertido pelo TAM, sugerindo um resultado não genômico, independente de ERE. Tratamentos com 10-8M de E2 ou de T3 reduziram a expressão do gene ERα em S30, efeito parcialmente impedido pela associação com TAM, sem efeito na expressão de TR. Os resultados sugerem que, em S30, T3 10-8M tem ação semelhante ao E2 com relação à modulação do gene ERα. CONCLUSÕES: Esses resultados enfatizam a necessidade de dosagem de T3 circulante antes da introdução do tratamento antiestrogênico no câncer de mama.

OBJECTIVE: To better understand the estrogen (E2) agonist action of triiodothyronine (T3) the effects of these hormones on ER negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were compared with those on S30, a clone of MDA-MB-231 stably transfected with ERα cDNA, in terms of proliferation and modulation of hormone receptors. RESULTS: Growth experiments showed that MDA-MB-231 was not modulated by any hormone or tamoxifen (TAM). Treatment with E2, 10-8M or 10-9M had little effect on S30 proliferation. T3 at 10-8M significantly inhibited proliferation. This effect was not reverted by TAM. Treatments with 10-8M concentration of E2 or T3 reduced ERα gene expression in S30, an effect partially blocked by association with TAM, with no effect on TR expression. These results suggest that, in S30, 10-8M T3 has a similar action to E2 relative to ERα gene modulation. CONCLUSIONS: Such results emphasize the need of determining T3 levels, before the introduction of antiestrogenic forms of treatment in breast cancer patients.

Dois pacientes índices da família analisada neste estudo foram submetidos a adrenalectomia bilateral devido a feocromocitoma. Foi, então, realizado o estudo genético dos pacientes e de sete parentes de primeiro grau. Os dois pacientes com feocromocitoma e dois outros membros assintomáticos da família apresentaram a mutação c496G>T no exon 3 do gene VHL. A família perdeu seguimento médico. Três anos após a realização da avaliação genética, a irmã dos pacientes, portadora da mutação, foi encaminhada para o nosso serviço após uma gestação complicada por pré-eclampsia. Ela referia paroxismos sugestivos de feocromocitoma, mas as metanefrinas urinárias eram negativas. Entretanto, a tomografia computadorizada de abdômen evidenciou uma massa adrenal que também se contrastou na cintilografia com metaiodobenzilguanidina (MIBG). Esse estudo mostra que a análise molecular do paciente índice pode levar à identificação de parentes assintomáticos portadores da mutação. Além disso, mesmo com as metanefrinas urinárias negativas, a identificação de uma mutação específica levou a um aumento da suspeita e detecção de feocromocitoma na irmã dos afetados pela doença.

The two index patients of the family analyzed in this study had undergone bilateral adrenalectomy for pheochromocytomas. This prompted genetic analyses of the probands and seven first-degree relatives. The two pheochromocytoma patients and two additional asymptomatic family members were found to harbor a mutation c496G>T in exon 3 of the VHL gene. The family was then lost to systematic follow-up. Three years after performing the initial genetic evaluation, the sister of the probands, who was known to carry the same VHL germline mutation, was referred to our service after a pregnancy that was complicated by preeclampsia. She reported paroxysms suggestive for pheochromocytoma, but her urinary metanephrines were negative. However, computerized tomography of the abdomen showed an adrenal mass that was also positive on metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy. This study illustrates that molecular analysis of the index patient(s) can lead to the identification of presymptomatic relatives carrying the mutation. Moreover, despite negative urinary metanephrines, the identification of a specific mutation has led to an increased suspicion and detection of a pheochromocytoma in the sister of the probands.

Hipotireoidismo congênito (HC) afeta cerca de 1:3000 a 1:4000 recém-nascidos (RN). Numerosos genes são essenciais, tanto para o desenvolvimento normal do eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-tireóide quanto para a produção hormonal, e estão associados ao HC. Cerca de 85% do hipotireoidismo primário é denominado disgenesia tireoidiana e evidências sugerem que mutações nos fatores de transcrição (TTF2, TTF1 e PAX-8) e no gene do receptor de TSH podem ser responsáveis pela doença. Os defeitos hereditários da síntese hormonal podem ser devidos a mutações nos genes NIS (natrium-iodide symporter), pendrina, tireoglobulina (TG), peroxidase (TPO). Mais recentemente, mutações no gene THOX-2 têm sido descritas para defeitos na organificacão. O hipotireoidismo central afeta cerca de 1:20.000 RN e tem sido associado com mutações nos fatores transcricionais hipofisários (POUIF1, PROP1, LHX3, HESX1). A síndrome de resistência periférica ao hormônio tireoidiano é uma doença rara que cursa com hipotireoidismo em alguns tecidos e, freqüentemente, está associada a mutações autossômicas dominantes no receptor beta (TRß).

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) affects between 1:3,000 and 1:4,000 newborns. Many genes are essential for normal development of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis and hormone production, and are associated with CH. About 85% of primary hypothyroidism is called thyroid digenesis and evidence suggests that mutations in transcription factors (TTF2, TTF1, and PAX-8) and TSH receptor gene could be responsible for the disease. Genetic defects of hormone synthesis could be caused by mutations in the following genes: NIS (natrium-iodide symporter), pendrine, thyreoglobulin (TG), peroxidase (TPO). Recently, mutations in the THOX-2 gene have also been related to organification defects. Central hypothyroidism affects about 1:20,000 newborns and has been associated with mutations in pituitary transcriptional factors (POUIF1, PROP1, LHX3, and HESX1). The syndrome of resistance to thyroid hormone is rare, implies a hypothyroidism state for some tissues and is frequently associated with dominant autosomal mutations in the beta-receptor (TRß).