Cell Metabolism in Endocrine Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Cellular metabolism is intricately regulated by the endocrine system via hormones. Endocrine diseases arise from either excess or shortage. Alternately, the body may not respond properly to these hormones, leading to significant disruptions in cellular metabolic pathways and systemic manifestations.

Endocrine diseases encompass a range of disorders classified by the involved endocrine glands, tissues, and abnormal functions, including pancreatic islet diseases such as diabetes, hypoglycemia and insulinoma; thyroid diseases like hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis and thyroid nodules/tumors; parathyroid diseases including primary hyperparathyroidism and hypoparathyroidism; adrenal diseases such as Cushing's syndrome, adrenal insufficiency, primary aldosteronism and pheochromocytoma; pituitary diseases such as pituitary adenomas (e.g., prolactinoma, Acromegaly), anterior pituitary insufficiency and Arginine Vasopressin Deficiency  (AVP-D); gonadal diseases including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), ovarian insufficiency, Male Hypogonadism; as well as other conditions such as multiple endocrine neoplasia and autoimmune polyglandular syndrome.

In diabetes mellitus, a primary example, impaired insulin signaling leads to disrupted glucose uptake by cells, causing hyperglycemia. Cells, particularly in muscle and adipose tissue, cannot effectively utilize glucose for energy or store it as glycogen, impacting energy homeostasis. In contrast, thyroid disorders profoundly impact basal metabolic rate. Hyperthyroidism accelerates metabolism, leading to rapid heart rate, weight loss, and bone loss among other negative effects while hypothyroidism slows it down, causing fatigue, weight gain, and affecting other organs.

Cortisol and catecholamines are a group of stress hormones, which perform many important vital functions in the body. Conditions like Cushing's syndrome involve excess cortisol, which can alter carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, often resulting in obesity and increased diabetes risk. Conversely, its deficiency or absence renders an individual vulnerable to low blood pressure, glucose, and inability to function well.

These diseases highlight how hormonal disruptions influence cells to reprogram and their metabolic functions, often leading to an imbalance by different biosynthetic pathways and modulating or impairing energy production. Understanding these complex cellular metabolic changes is crucial for developing novel diagnostic biomarkers and targeted therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Ranjodh Gill
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.