ESPE Abstracts

Background: Transcription activator-like effects nucleases (TALENs) have recently been developed as an efficient method for in vivo genome engineering. Zebrafish are becoming an increasingly popular model to study translational aspects in endocrinology. The redox cofactor ferredoxin (FDX1) is essential for mitochondrial cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes including those required for steroidogenesis. In vitro, FDX1 modifications influence the catalytic rate of ster...

Background: Mutations in the side chain cleavage enzyme, (CYP11A1) cause congenital adrenal insufficiency, with complete or partial 46XY sex reversal. The disorder manifests with adrenal and gonadal insufficiencies along with derangements of the renin/angiotensin system.Objective and hypotheses: To obtain a genetic diagnosis in six patients with adrenal insufficiency of unknown aetiology. Patients 1 and 2 are sisters with ACTH resistance, having...

Background: Adrenal insufficiency is a rare cause of neonatal cholestasis, which is reversible with prompt glucocorticoid administration.Case presentation: A 2-month old baby boy was referred to the paediatric endocrine department for evaluation of intermittent hypoglycaemia associated with metabolic acidosis, hyponatraemia and hyperkalaemia. The infant was second born to second-degree consanguineous parents whose first...

Introduction: Childhood obesity shows increasing numbers worldwide and presents as a global health issue due to multiple metabolic comorbidities. About 1 % of adolescents with obesity develop type 2 diabetes (T2D), however little is known about the genetic and pathophysiological background in young age. Genome-wide association studies in adults revealed genes with increased diabetes risk, most of them regulating insulin secretion. The objective of this study w...

Background: X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is a rare, progressive, genetic phosphate wasting disorder leading to rickets, lower limb deformities as well as short and disproportionate stature. The condition is inherited in the majority, however spontaneous mutations are reported in ≈30% of cases. Its rarity, coupled with its diverse clinical manifestations, may lead to delayed diagnosis and subsequently delayed treatment initiation. The objective of this an...

Background: The typical biochemical phenotype related to obesity, that is high serum thyrotropin (TSH) within normal range, low/normal free thyroxine (FT4) and increased free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels, can be interpreted as a resistance to thyroid hormones. It is unclear the role played by thyroid hormones in the pathogenesis of metabolic derangement associated with obesity.Aim: To investigate the association between...

Introduction: Endocan is a soluble dermatan sulfate PG (50kDa), composed by 165 amino acid core protein, that is expressed and secreted by endothelial cells of dermal microvasculature, coronary, pulmonary arteries, and capillaries from adipose tissue. It plays an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular disorders, inflammation, and neoangiogenesis. Endocan biosynthesis is upregulated by inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α,IL-1, TGF-β1, and by pro...

Background: The adaptative increase of serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels in obese subjects may affect the metabolic regulation of body tissues and thus promote an unfavorable cardiometabolic profile.Aim: To investigate the association between serum TSH, free thyroxine (FT4) and cardiometabolic risk factors in euthyroid obese children and adolescents.Material and Methods: Four hundred ninety-one Caucas...

Background:Short stature may be due to various pathological conditions or may be idiopathic. SHOX (Short Stature Homeobox on X chromosome) gene is involved in the regulation of skeletal growth and is a main cause of short stature on monogenic basis. The frequency of this condition in children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) was reported to range from 2 to 17%. The phenotypic spectrum is heterogeneous, varying from Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis (LWD) ...

Current hormone substitution therapy of patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is suboptimal and cannot mimic physiological daily rhythms of hormone secretion. As supra-physiological corticoid doses are necessary to avoid adrenal androgen excess, patients show substantially increased comorbidities such as hyperglycemia, arterial hypertension, reduced growth and osteoporosis. Moreover plasma ACTH is often inadequately suppressed, resulting in undesired excess adrena...