ESPE Abstracts

Human growth results from an increase in cell size, cell division and amount of interstitium and is determined by the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Over the last 14 years our group has been studying growth through the genetic interrogation of rare individuals presenting with syndromic overgrowth defined as an increased height and/or head circumference, compared to the age-related peer group, in combination with an intellectual disability. In the years...

Background: SWEET (www.sweet-project.eu) is a non-profit entity endorsed by ISPAD aiming to create an extensive network of certified CoRs for childhood diabetes in order to ensure high quality care.Objective and hypotheses: SWEET aims at an improved and more uniform care for people with diabetes through comparing processes and outcomes among participating members. The results of data analysis are conveyed to memb...

Background: Children with septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) and related disorders can present with either hypogonadotropic hypogonadism or precocious puberty. This phenotypic variability remains unexplained.Objective and hypotheses: To compare pubertal characteristics of SOD with isolated congenital hypopituitarism (CPHD) and optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH).Method: Retrospective longitudinal data collection from 259 patients with: SOD (...

Background and hypotheses: Recent results showing elevated tetrahydrocortisol/tetrahydrocorticosterone ratio (THFs/THE) in morning urines of diabetic children compared to controls suggest an increased nocturnal activity of 11 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1). We made the hypothesis that a reduced inhibition of hepatic 11β-HSD1 activity by exogenous insulin, due to its subcutaneous (SC) administration and absence of first hepatic passage, could ex...

Background: Generalized lymphatic anomaly (GLA) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by aggressive proliferation of dilated lymphatic vessels. The etiology of GLA is poorly understood.Objective and hypotheses: To identify the underlying genetic basis for GLA.Method: Exome sequencing (ES) was performed in two families, including a multigenerational family (family-1) with six affected members. RNA-seq was performed on skin bio...

Background: Monogenic diabetes (MD) remains undiagnosed in more than 90% of the cases. However, precise, quick and cost-effective diagnosis is important to choose an adequate treatment and to avoid long-term complications.Objective and hypotheses: To develop and validate a diagnostic tool to improve diagnosis rate of MD in Switzerland, as well as to open new research directions.Method: Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) of 3...

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: Aberrations in the timing of puberty may result in significant adverse health outcomes, including cancers, cardiovascular and neurological pathologies. Self-limited delayed puberty (DP) (i.e. constitutional delay of puberty) runs in families with either autosomal dominant or complex inheritance patterns in >70% of families, indicating a strong genetic basis of the trait. However, only a few genes have been identified underlying DP so far....

Background: Recently, patients with severe obesity have been described due to functional leptin deficiency. This new entity is characterized by high immunoreactive levels of circulating leptin (Lep), but a reduced bioactivity of the hormone due to defective receptor binding (N Engl J Med 2015;372:48–54). Since these patients can be successfully treated with human recombinant leptin (metreleptin), a diagnostic tool to detect functional leptin deficiency is needed.<p cl...

Background: POMC deficiency is an extremely rare monogenetic obesity syndrome generally characterized by early onset hyperphagia, red hair and adrenal insufficiency. So far treatment of obesity and hyperphagia with MSH substitution failed, either due to ineffectiveness or side effects of available MC4R agonists.Objective and hypotheses: We hypothesized that the new MC-4R agonist setmelanotide might be a treatment option in POMC deficient patients.<p ...