Molecular basis of pituitary development defects

Over the last twenty years, the progress made in molecular biology have led to the identification of many transcription factor genes, whose mutations has been reported as causes of familial hypopituitarism

Aim:Based on literature review, this study is intending to highlight the role of some transcription factors in the development of the anterior pituitary gland and to analyse the involvement of their dysfunction in some cases of congenital hypopituitarism

Methods: Litterature review

Results: These transcription factors are nuclear proteins expressed specifically in certain target cells, in order to control genes expression. Their role is fundamental in embryonic and foetal development, and particularly in embryonic and foetal development, and particularly in pituitary ontogenesis. Together, they direct the formation of anterior pituitary gland, the differentiation, the expansion and the definitive function of the five pituitary cell types. In this report, after introducing the different stages of anterior pituitary development and differentiation of its cell lines, we will briefly highlight the clinical phenotypes associated with alterations of different transcription factor genes in both murine models and humans

[Food intake and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels changes during ramadan fasting in healthy young subjects]

During the holy month of Ramadan, it is obligatory for all adult healthy Muslims to abstain from food, drink and smo-king each day from dawn to sunset. The aims of our study were to evaluate the effects of Ramadan fasting on plasma lipids, lipoproteins and the change of food consumption in healthy subjects. Thirty young healthy and normal weighted adults [9 males and 21 females] were evaluated during three periods: 3 weeks before Ramadan [TO]: the 4th week of Ramadan [T1] and 3 weeks after the end of Ramadan [T2]. Main Clinical and biological parameters investigated were: body weight. blood glucose, plasma triglycerides [TG], plas-ma total cholesterol [TC], high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-c] and. low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-c] Body weight, and blood glucose were unchanged. There was a significant increase of the mean daily caloric intake, the lipids intake particularly mono-unsaturated and poly-unsatu-rated fatty acids [p < 0,001] and cholesterol intake [p<0.001] during Ramadan with a decrease of the meal frequency. There was also a significant increase of plasma total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol. The most striking finding was a significant increase in the HDL-Cholesterol during Ramadan +20% [p<0,02]. This increase was lost after Ramadan. Fasting Ramadan affects beneficially serum lipoprotein metabolism in young adult healthy subjects with an increase of HDL-cho-lesterol

[Imaging diagnosis of an unilateral painful ophtalmoplegia]

The ophtalmoplegia may be due to several lesions and the diagnosis is made by imaging modalities. We report the case of a giant aneurysm of the right intracavernous internal carotid artery revealed by painful ophtalmoplegia with subarachnoid haemorrhage. The diagnosis was made by magnetic resonance imaging and angiography