ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: The human adrenal gland originates from the adrenogonadal primordium at around 4 weeks post conception (wpc) and undergoes marked developmental changes throughout the first half of pregnancy. Several key aspects of adrenal maturation are well-established, such as the formation of a large inner fetal zone (FZ) and synthesis of dehydroepiandrosterone, but many other processes contributing to adrenal gland development and function in humans are stil...

Introduction: Ovary development was once considered a largely passive process. RNA sequencing (RNAseq) approaches have allowed us to begin to characterise ovary development in previously unparalleled detail, revealing the process to be complex and, still, little understood. A challenge is synthesising and using these data to advance our understanding of clinical disease. Through a clinically-focused lens, we elucidate novel aspects of the transcriptional lands...

Introduction: Despite improved therapy measures since 2014 the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Swiss adolescence stabilized on 19%. Particular challenges are lack of adherence to therapy in youth who are in difficult life situations or live further from specified centres. Therefore it is essential to find simple and novel therapeutic approaches. But although the number of digital based health information systems increases steadily, the effectiveness in reaching long te...

Introduction: Congenital Lipoid Adrenal Hyperplasia (CLAH) is a severe deficiency of adrenal and gonadal steroidogenesis, caused by mutations in the StAR gene and the accumulation of cholesterol in the outer mitochondrial membrane due to steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) deficiency. Affected patients present peripheral adrenal insufficiency with early onset, and variable phenotypes at the age of puberty.Objective of o...

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...

Introduction: Lack of impulse control and impaired stress regulation may explain the development of obesity and its challenging therapy, already in youth. To improve self-regulation of overweight adolescents and subsequently their weight status, we tested, whether a biofeedback relaxation exercise decreases stress and whether relaxation services implemented in a novel Smartphone App supported intervention have effects on stress and weight outcomes.Method...

Background: TransCon GH is designed as a once-weekly sustained-release prodrug of recombinant human GH (hGH, somatropin). Based on the inert TransCon prodrug technology unmodified native hGH is released with a Cmax and AUC comparable to daily therapy. TransCon GH leverages the known pharmacology of daily hGH and is being developed for the treatment of GH deficiency (GHD) in children and adults.Objective and hypotheses: Develop a safe and efficacious sust...

Introduction: Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires appropriate diagnosis and treatment. The most common cause of PAI is congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), but other well-established aetiologies include metabolic and autoimmune disorders, and physical damage. Mutations in more than 30 genes have now been associated with PAI, with considerable biochemical and phenotypic overlap. It is therefore importan...

Encouraged by unimolecular dual incretin co-agonists (GLP1/GIP) to enhance glycemic efficacy (Finan et al. 2013, Sci Transl Med) and GLP1/glucagon co-agonists to enhance weight loss efficacy (Day et al. 2009, Nat Chem Biol) and to restore diet-induced leptin sensitivity (Clemmensen et al. 2014, Diabetes), we recently developed the first tri-agonist (GLP1/GIP/glucagon) for the treatment of metabolic disorders (Finan et al. 2014, Nat Med). Importantly, this concerted triple agon...

Background: Severe obesity due to hypothalamic involvement has major impact on prognosis in long-term survivors of childhood-onset craniopharyngioma. The long-term effects of rehabilitation efforts on weight development and obesity in these patients are not analysed up to now.Method: 108 patients with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma recruited in HIT Endo before 2001 were included in the study. Long-term weight development (BMI SDS after ...