The Regulation of Hormone Activity
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A single centre, laboratory bench study to investigate whether the action of TRH releasing TSH in the pituitary is replicated within the thyroid gland, using surplus thyroid tissue following thyroid surgery.
IRAS ID
244999
Contact name
Margaret Ghilchik
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
This is a laboratory based study analysing the chemistry and biochemistry of hormone action, control, stimulation and inhibition on human thyroid tissue. The control of thyroid hormone stimulation has long been described with the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT axis) playing the key role. Thyroid hormones play a key role in growth and have effect on metabolic regulation.
The established pathway for thyroid hormone production has 3 main steps. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) is released from neurons in the hypothalamus stimulating thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) to be released from the anterior pituitary. Pituitary TSH causes the release of thyroid hormones T3 and T4.
In this study, we are aiming to establish whether Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone within the thyroid gland acts as a control mechanism for the output of thyroid hormone. We will be using surplus thyroid tissue collected during the patient’s thyroid surgery. All patients undergoing thyroid surgery, regardless of clinical diagnosis, will be eligible for this study. All patients have tissue samples taken during a thyroid operation and after the local pathologists and surgeons have conducted their analysis, we will use the surplus tissue for our analysis.
All patients will be recruited from the Royal Bournemouth Hospital with the laboratory analysis taking place at the local Royal Bournemouth Hospital laboratory.
The participants will be asked to consent to the use of their surplus tissue for our analysis and relevant data collection regarding their disease. This is the only involvement of the patient and there will be no visits outside of routine care.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/YH/0084
Date of REC Opinion
7 Mar 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion