Aldosterone synthase inhibitors: a potential revival for treatment of renal and cardiovascular diseases.

Inappropriate aldosterone excess plays a key role in the pathophysiology of various cardiovascular, endocrine and renal diseases. Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists (MRAs) such as spironolactone block of the harmful effects of aldosterone and are recommended treatment in these various conditions. However, the sexual adverse effects of spironolactone due to its lack of specificity for the MR and the risk of hyperkalemia in patients with decreased renal function, limit its use.

SDHx mutation and pituitary adenoma: can in vivo 1H-MR spectroscopy unravel the link?

Germline mutations in genes encoding succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) are frequently involved in pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) development and were implicated in patients with the '3PAs' syndrome (associating pituitary adenoma (PA) and PPGL) or isolated PA. However, the causality link between SDHx mutation and PA remains difficult to establish, and in vivo tools for detecting hallmarks of SDH deficiency are scarce. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) can detect succinate in vivo as a biomarker of SDHx mutations in PGL.

Acute but Not Chronic Central Administration of the Neuropeptide 26RFa (QRFP) Improves Glucose Homeostasis in Obese/Diabetic Mice.

Introduction: The aim of the study is to investigate whether acute or chronic central administration of the hypothalamic neuropeptide 26RFa may ameliorate the glycemic control of obese/diabetic mice.

Methods: Mice were treated for 4 months with a high-fat (HF) diet and received a single i.c.