ESPE Abstracts

Background: Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is genetically mediated in up to 30% of cases. Many genes associated with POI have roles in early ovary developmental processes, including meiosis.Objectives: We investigated the genetic mechanism underlying early-onset POI in three young women presenting with absent puberty: two sisters from a consanguineous pedigree and a third unrelated proband.<st...

The main role of the acid-labile subunit (ALS) is to stabilize the IGFBP3/IGF complexes. Pathogenic variants in the gene coding for ALS (IGFALS) results in IGF1 and IGFBP3 deficiency, short stature, delay puberty and insulin resistance. The aim of these study was to identify the genetic cause in a patient with suspected ALS deficiency. The proband is the third son of non-consanguineous parents, evaluated for the first time at 17.3 years due to short stature (−2....

Background: Severe deficiency of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11βHSD2) triggers activation of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) by cortisol and causing apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) syndrome characterized mostly by low-renin arterial hypertension and hypokalemia. In 2003, we studied a patient with AME (3 years-old) having two homozygous mutation, D223N (rs121917833) and a SNP C>T in intron 3 (rs376023420) (Carvajal et al. JCEM 2003).<p cla...

Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a complex heterogeneous disease affecting 1 in 40.000 newborns. Recurrent hypoketotic hypoglycaemia led to permanent mental and motor disabilities in 30-40% of children. Histologically three types had been differentiated: focal, diffuse and atypical. Up to now, only focal-type CHI can be permanently cured by focus removal. Focal-type CHI is characterized by paternal inherited mutation of ABCC8 or KCNJ11 mutations. Therefore mutation anal...

Background: Glucocorticoids play an important role in the developing fetus; the most important of which is lung maturation by increasing surfactant production and release. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) functioning changes throughout the fetal period, especially during the transition to extrauterine life. Given the importance of glucocorticoids in lung development and functioning, studying glucocorticoid sensitivity (GS) in this population would be helpful, especially in the pre...

Background: Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a complex disease resulting from donor T-cell recognition of a genetic disparate recipient, which is unable to reject donor cells after allogeneic transplant. Glucocorticoids (steroids) are the mainstay of acute GVHD therapy. Glucocorticoid resistance has been characterized in several inflammatory conditions including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, erythematosus, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease. Glucoc...

Background: In vitro studies suggest a broader role for aldosterone, beyond elevating blood pressure. Clinical data support the notion that aldosterone can directly alter the function of the immune system and can participate in low-grade inflammation which leads to blood pressure elevation and end organ damage.Objective and hypothesis: To assess in humans, whether aldosterone plasma levels and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) expression associate...

Background: Paediatric hypertension is increasing and has been associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Recently, cortisol:cortisone ratio and the metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), which is a marker of vascular remodelling, have been syndicated as new risk factors associated with hypertension.Objective and hypotheses: To analyse the association between paediatric hypertension with clinical, biochemical, inflammation, and vascular remodelling biomarkers<...

Background: Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is frequent in adrenocortical tumors (ACTs). This pathway and DAX1, a negative regulator of SF1 expression, control adrenal stem/progenitor cells, which can be involved in ACTs formation.Objective: To analyse the association between the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the expression of a stem cell marker (NANOG), STAT3, DAX1 and SF1 in ACTs.Methods: Patients:...

Background: Exercise programs are related to the anabolic function of GH/IGF-I axis.Objective and hypotheses: To analyse IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and ALS serum concentrations in adolescent swimmers at different stages of training season, and compare them with physical performance and body composition.Method: Nine male athletes, aged 16–19 years, who trained regularly throughout the season, were studied. IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and ALS were recor...