Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets - Immune, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders) - Volume 22, Issue 6, 2022

Chronic heart failure represents a relevant concern for public health. The endocrine system is heavily involved in the induction and progression of chronic heart failure. Among endocrine disorders, the most relevant alterations are related to the growth hormone-insulin like growth factor 1 axis, serum testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, triiodothyronine levels, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is curren Read More

Steroidogenesis in the adrenal cortex or gonads is a complicated process modulated by various elements either at the tissue or molecular level. The substrate cholesterol is first delivered to the outer membrane of mitochondria, undergoing a series of enzymatic reactions along with the material exchange between the mitochondria and the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) and ultimately yielding various steroids, such as aldos Read More

The first traces of man’s of poison use date back to ten thousand years ago since the last period of the Paleolithic era. Man used poison for hunting and defense. Indeed, in the second half of the 19th century, arrows made from the bones of animals characterized by particular grooves were found in some caves. In ancient Greece, the term pharmakon (άρμαΚν) had a double meaning: remedy for therapy and venom. This is t Read More

The fast spread of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) calls for immediate action to counter the associated significant loss of human life and deep economic impact. Certain patient populations like those with obesity and diabetes are at higher risk for acquiring severe COVID-19 disease and have a higher risk of COVID-19 associated mortality. In the absence of an effective and safe vaccine, the only immediate promising appr Read More

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common types of gastrointestinal malignancies that is encountered. It has a global distribution and affects males and females, and is linked to significant morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms underlying pathophysiology are multifactorial and involve the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. This review article describes the immunological and metabolic changes that occur Read More

Lipid metabolism disorder plays a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. As the largest metabolic organ of the human body, the liver has a key role in lipid metabolism by influencing fat production, fat decomposition, and the intake and secretion of serum lipoproteins. Numerous clinical and experimental studies have indicated that the dysfunction of hepatic lipid metabolism is closely related to the onse Read More

Progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) is a trans-membrane evolutionarily conserved protein with a cytochrome b5 like heme/steroid binding domain. PGRMC1 clinical levels are strongly suggested to correlate with poor patient survival and lung cancer prognosis. PGRMC1 has been reported to possess pleiotropic functions, such as participating in cellular and membrane trafficking, steroid hormone Read More

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is defined as a salient complication of late pregnancy. microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as critical biological regulators in PE. This study determined miR-27b-3p expression in serum of PE patients and investigated its clinical significance in PE. Methods: This study enrolled a total of 130 pregnant women, including 90 PE patients (51 mild PE and 39 severe PE) and 40 healthy controls. miR-27b- Read More

Background: COVID-19 is a worldwide pandemic with high rates of morbidity and mortality, and an uncertain prognosis leading to an increased risk of infection in health providers and limited hospital care capacities. In this study, we have proposed a predictive, interpretable prognosis scoring system with the use of readily obtained clinical, radiological and laboratory characteristics to accurately predict worsening of the conditi Read More

Background: Insulin Resistance (IR) is confirmed as a key feature of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in children and adolescents. Numerous studies report that adiponectin (APN) levels are inversely associated with the status of IR in adults with NAFLD. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum total APNand Homeostasis Model Assessment Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) in adolescents wi Read More

Background: Specific Antibody Deficiency (SAD) is a primary immunodeficiency disease (PID) characterized by the occurrence of recurrent infections and inadequate antibody response to polysaccharide new antigens. Objective: This study aims to determine the titer of specific antibodies against unconjugated 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV-23), the presence of SAD, and its association wi Read More

Background: Diagnostic imaging techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be performed on all patients with incidentalomas. However, limited number of studies on whether the quantitative measurements (signal intensity index, adrenal to spleen ratio) in MRI could predict the functional status of adrenal adenomas are available. Methods: Between 2015-2020, 404 patients (265 females, 139 males) with adr Read More

Background: Gaucher Disease (GD) is a rare autosomal recessive inherited disease caused by the deficiency of glucocerebrosidase and characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, including hepatosplenomegaly, bone infiltration, and cytopenia. Moreover, it is even involved in the central nervous system. GD is classified into three phenotypes on the ground of neurologic involvement: type 1 (GD1), th Read More