ESPE Abstracts

Obesity, with its complications, emerges as a major contributor to the global health burden becoming pandemic. It's an extremely complex disorder resulting of interaction of biological, social and behavioural factors that cause increase in food intake and reduction in energy expenditure. Although few monogenic forms and indeed several susceptibility loci have been described, the molecular basis underlying early onset obesity remain largely unknown. GWAS revealed consistent...

Background: The amount and distribution of genetic diversity in and among human populations are primarily determined by our recent evolutionary past. Since the Mid-Pleistocene, about 700 000 years ago, our evolution has been dominated by population expansions coupled with admixture, recurrent genetic interchange (gene flow), and local adaptation.Objective and hypotheses: To understand the evolutionary factors influencing present-day genetic variation in ...

Background: Makorin RING finger protein 3 (MKRN3) is an important factor located on chromosome 15 in the imprinting Prader-Willi syndrome - associated region. Imprinted MKRN3 expressed in hypothalamic regions essential for puberty initiation and mutations have been found in patients with central precocious puberty (CPP). CPP caused by the early activation of pulsatile Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion is clinically defined by the early maturation...

Disorders/differences in sex development (DSD) are defined as congenital conditions in which development of chromosomal, gonadal or anatomical sex is atypical. 46,XY DSD include defects in androgen synthesis or action or complete (CGD)/partial (PGD) gonadal dysgenesis. The aim of this study was to characterize the molecular genetic diagnosis of individuals with 46,XY DSD followed at Garrahan Pediatric Hospital.Medical records of 140 patients (P) followed...

Glucose transporter 2(GLUT2), a transmembrane carrier protein that facilitates glucose movement across cell membranes, is an essential protein in carbohydrate metabolism. Mutation of SCL2A2 gene, which encodes this transporter, leads to a rare well- defined entity called glycogen storage disease type XI (GSD XI) also known as Fanconi Bickel syndrome. The result of this defect is hepatomegaly, proximal tubular dysfunction, fasting hypoglycemia, glucose intolerance, failure to t...

Background: The molecular genetics of isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) has been a subject of interest and recent discoveries. Multiple genetic variants with x-linked and autosomal inheritance are involved in the regulation of the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis.Objective and hypotheses: We undertook an extensive genetic evaluation to elucidate a possible genetic aetiology in two brothers with clinical and biochemical evidence of IHH. We h...

Currently, the majority of patients with DSD do not have a molecular diagnosis. Although high throughput sequencing is having an impact on the clinical diagnosis of DSD the accurate interpretation genomic datasets of the identification of new gene mutations causing DSD is challenging. This is due to emerging evidence that DSD may be caused by mutations in many different genes and the prevalence of mutations in a single gene may be very low. As larger number of DSD patients are...

Background: Mutations in the SLC2A2 gene are implicated in Fanconi-Bickel syndrome (FBS). This is a rare form of glycogen storage disease (GSD) inherited in an autosomal recessive manner characterized by hepato-renal glycogen accumulation, impaired glucose and galactose utilization, and proximal renal tubular dysfunction. The world-wide frequency of Fanconi-Bickel syndrome is not known, though the disease is considered to be rare in which a little more that 100 cases ...

Background: Woodhouse-Sakati syndrome (WSS) is rare autosomal recessive condition characterized by progressive extrapyramidal signs, mental retardation, hypogonadism, alopecia, and diabetes mellitus. The age at disease onset, manifestation and severity of specific symptoms differs significantly among individuals with this syndrome and even among affected members of the same family. The gene C2orf37, which is responsible for WSS, located on chromosome 2q22.3-q35.<p class="a...

Background: Steroid 5α-reductase catalyzes the conversion of testosterone into the more active androgen, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In 46, XY patients with recessive mutations in steroid 5α-reductase type 2 enzyme (SRD5A2) gene, the degree of ambiguity ranges from isolated hypospadias to severe undermasculinization. SRD5A2 gene is located on chromosome 2 (p23 region) and is comprised of five exons and four introns.Objective and hypotheses: Mult...