ESPE Abstracts

Background: Pediatric patients with germline pathogenic variants in the tumor suppressor gene PTEN frequently develop cancer and adipose tissue overgrowth in the form of lipomas. While the canonical function of the phosphatase PTEN is to antagonize the growth promoting PI3K pathway, non-canonical PTEN functions e.g. in the nucleus are less well described. To uncover the mechanisms leading to lipoma formation related to PTEN mutations, we previously performed R...

Septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by a classic triad of optic nerve hypoplasia, agenesis of septum pellucidum and corpus callosum, and hypoplasia of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Up to date, a shared consensus is not available and the diagnosis relies mainly on clinical and neuroradiological findings. Even though few genes have been described as responsible for this syndrome, the precise causes of SOD remain unknown and a combination of...

Context: Pituitary apoplexy is rare endocrine emergency, resulting from ischemia and/or hemorrhage and necrosis of a pituitary tumor (typically an adenoma). Children and adolescents show severe headache sometimes associated with cranial neuropathies from compression of the optic chiasm or the cavernous sinus.Case presentation: A 15-year-old boy was admitted with severe headache and vomiting since 3 days, without visual d...

Background: MKNR3 is a paternally expressed gene whose loss-of-function mutations cause Central precocious puberty (CPP). The precise molecular disruption produced by MKRN3 mutations remains unclear albeit protein structure suggests MKRN3 could play a role in proteasome ubiquitination. Circulating MKRN3 levels has been negatively associated to LH peak, estradiol and kisspeptin in idiopathic CPP and healthy controls. However, no literature data is available for...

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is characterized by low levels of gonadotropins and delayed or absent sexual development. Most of the patients reach the diagnosis in late adolescence or in adulthood. A timely, appropriate diagnosis implicates a better clinical outcome and treatment timing. We describe the clinical case of a 15-year-old girl with primary amenorrhea. Stature and weight were in accordance with mid parental height; Tanner stage: PH2 B1. FSH, LH, oestradiol showed pr...

Acrodysostosis (ACRDYS) (MIM 101800) is a rare autosomal dominant condition affecting skeletal growth and resulting in primary skeletal dysplasia. Two types of ACRDYS have been described and characterized by distinct references on OMIM database. ACRDYS is similar and often confused with PHP1A, but caused by mutations downstream of the genes involved in PHP1A. Most of the patients have de novo variants. Both types of ACRDYS present with similar skeletal abnormalities (dispropor...

Background: Determination of the gonads in men is closely dependent on Sertoli cells differentiation and maturation. Many cases of differences of sex development (DSD) are caused by variations in these processes. The study of the mechanisms underlying these complex conditions is crucial for optimal clinical management and Sertoli cells would be an ideal model for this purpose. Our human Sertoli-like cell model (SLCs) may shed some light on the identification o...

Introduction: Mammalian sex development is directly dependent on gonadal determination. Whole exome sequencing in patients with differences of sex development (DSD) allows the discovery of new factors involved in human sex development. One of these factors is NWD1 (NACHT and WD repeat domain containing 1) a cytosolic protein that seems to play a role in modulating androgen receptor signaling. We identified variants in the NWD1 gene in six und...

Background: Short stature, increased adiposity and insulin resistance are conditions frequently observed in patients with Turner syndrome (TS). Many hormones are involved in the pathogenesis of the condition but therapeutic options we can offer to the patients are still scant. Each newly discovered peptide give us hope. Klotho play a very important role in the regulation of the human body metabolism and was not investigated in patients with TS so far.<p cl...

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare, inherited, systemic disease characterized by deficient tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase activity. Common manifestations in children include impaired skeletal mineralization, short stature, and reduced physical function. Asfotase alfa is an enzyme replacement therapy approved for treatment of patients of any age with pediatric-onset HPP. The utility of dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as a diagnostic tool or measure of treatment effective...