ESPE Abstracts

Background: BRAF is a component of the RAS/MAPK signalling pathway; germline mutations in components of this pathway are associated with congenital abnormalities such as Cardio-Facio-Cutaneous (CFC), Noonan and Costello Syndromes. These syndromes, known as RASopathies, are characterised by variably penetrant central nervous system, cardiac and facial abnormalities. Importantly, short stature and delayed puberty have been associated with these syndromes, as have featur...

Background: Mutations in the gene encoding LHX4, a homeodomain-containing factor with two LIM domains, are responsible for dominant hypopituitarisms with incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity. To date, only 14 unambiguous LHX4 mutations have been reported. Among those cases, 12 had an absent or ectopic posterior pituitary (EPP) and/or an abnormal sella turcica.Objective and hypotheses: To i) assess the contribution of LHX4 in combined pituitary...

Background: GLI2 is a zinc-finger transcription factor of the SHH signaling pathway, expressed during ventral forebrain and pituitary development. GLI2 mutations account for microforms of dominant holoprosencephaly. So far, only 15 unambiguous mutations were found in hypopituitarism –essentially combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD)– frequently associated with holoprosencephaly-like malformations and/or polydactyly.Objective and...

Background: A mutation in EIF2S3 (NM_001415; Xp22.11) was previously associated with microcephaly and developmental delay in a single pedigree. EIF2S3 encodes the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit 3 (eIF2γ), the largest of three EIF2 subunits. EIF2 initiates protein synthesis by forming a ternary complex with GTP and initiator methionyl-tRNA which then binds to the 40S ribosomal subunit, enabling scanning of mRNA from the 5′ end to...

Background: Children with septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) and related disorders can present with either hypogonadotropic hypogonadism or precocious puberty. This phenotypic variability remains unexplained.Objective and hypotheses: To compare pubertal characteristics of SOD with isolated congenital hypopituitarism (CPHD) and optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH).Method: Retrospective longitudinal data collection from 259 patients with: SOD (...

Background: We describe our experience in medical therapy for invasive somatotroph pituitary macroadenomas in 8 children or adolescents presenting with acromegaly/gigantism, in terms of growth and IGF-I levels control.Patients: Eight children, aged 5 to 17 years (median 12.4 years), presented with growth hormone (GH) hypersecretion related to somatotroph pituitary macroadenomas with cavernous sinus invasion in 6/8. Genetic testing revealed AIP mutation i...