ESPE Abstracts

Background: Significant aspects of metabolic homeostasis are regulated differently in males and females and sex differences can influence diagnostic approach and therapeutic responses. The underlying mechanisms accounting for gender difference remain to be established and may involve genetic and hormonal factors.Aim: This study aimed at evaluating gender differences in anthropometric and metabolic parameters in a large c...

Background: Multiple factors may affect intrauterine growth leading to birth of children small for gestational age (SGA). The impact of subtle genetic alterations on both pre and post-natal growth is still largely unknown.Objective and Hypotheses: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of CNVs in a cohort of SGA children with persistent short stature.Subjects and Methods</s...

Background: Low birth weight is associated with increased cardio-metabolic diseases in adulthood. Specific circulating miRNA seem to be predictive of cardio-metabolic risk.Objective: Our aim was to investigate the circulating levels of mir-122, mir-16, mir-126, and mir-486 in a cohort of SGA and AGA subjects, evaluated longitudinally in childhood and early adulthood.Method: Anthropometric and biochemical-metabolic evaluations were ...

Introduction: A low oxygen and/or nutrient supply to the fetus, resulting in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), can affect gonadal development of the offspring and have a potential impact on fertility. Epidemiological studies on subjects born small for gestational age (SGA), as a surrogate measure of IUGR, have reported contradictory results. Data derived from animal models of placental insufficiency are limited.Objective and hypotheses: To investig...

Background: Type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) is the product of a single-copy gene located on chromosome 15 and is ubiquitously expressed in humans. Increased hepatic IGF-1R gene expression is found in hepatocellular carcinoma and in chronic hepatitis C, making parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells more susceptible to the mitogenic effects of IGF-1.Objective and hypotheses: As we have previously demonstrated that IGF-1 and IGF-2 circula...

Background: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the site where proteins are folded in the cell. Metabolic stress alters ER homeostasis and activates the unfolded protein response (UPR), which contributes to the development of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.Objective and hypotheses: To longitudinally evaluate liver UPR and its functional consequences in an animal model of IUGR followed from birth to adulthood.Method: On day 19 ...

Background: Organic lesions in males with central precocious puberty (CPP) have been reported in 40% of cases. This high prevalence decreases (20–29%) when patients with previously diagnosed alterations of central nervous system (CNS) are excluded. Reported predictors of organic lesions are age at puberty onset, bone age, BMI, LH peak response and testosterone levels.Objective and hypotheses: To determine the prevalence and type of intracranial lesi...

Background: Fetuin A is a hepatokine known as a natural inhibitor of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase and is associated with insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Studies on adults provided conflicting results regarding the link between fetuin A and the severity of liver damage in NAFLD. Data on children are limited.Objective: To investigate the relationship between fetuin A, metabolic parameters, and NAFLD in obese childre...

Background: Recent studies have suggested a role of IGF1 as a candidate prognostic marker for cardiometabolic complications of obesity.Objective: To investigate the relationship between IGF1 serum levels and both biochemical and metabolic parameters as well as body composition in a cohort of obese children.Methods: obese subjects (130F/157M), aged 11.2±2.7 years, were studied. Anthropometry, biochemical and metabolic parameter...

Background: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the site where proteins are folded. Perturbation of ER homeostasis activates a set of ER-to-nucleus signaling reactions known as the unfolded protein response (UPR). Metabolic stress causes UPR activation which contributes to the development of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. As UPR can be activated by nutrient and oxygen starvation, we postulated that intrauterine growth restriction may trigger UPR signaling and thereby con...