ESPE Abstracts

Background and aims: The aromatase inhibitor letrozole is used to improve final height in boys with predicted short stature by delaying bone age (BA) maturation due to suppression of estradiol levels. There are few data regarding its effects, especially when used as single medication.Methods: Ten pubertal boys with predicted low final height treated with letrozole 2.5 mg/d p.o. (no other medication) for up to 24 months were analysed for auxological, labo...

Background: Cell-mediated initiation of enchondral ossification is essential for growth plate maturation. The matrix mineralization inhibitors matrix Gla protein (MGP) and osteocalcin (OC) represent key regulators of matrix mineralization and are highly expressed in growth plate chondrocytes. Pharmacological or nutritional phylloquinone (K1) depletion is known to affect skeletal mineralization by reduced gamma-carboxilisation of MGP and OC. Constituents of mineral matrix such ...

Background: Congenital hyperinsulinism of infancy (CHI) is the most common cause for persisting hypoglycaemia in infancy. Genetic causes are mutations in ABCC8 or KCNJ11 (coding for K+ATP-channel subunits), less frequently mutations in GCK or GLUD1. Further genetic examinations are usually performed only if phenotypic aspects point to other specific genes, such as the rare short chain 3-hydroxylacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (<...

Background: Disorders (or differences) of sex development (DSD) are rare congenital conditions in which the development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex is atypical. The luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) is important for male sex development. LHCGR mutations can cause Leydig cell hypoplasia, which is an autosomal recessive disorder.Objective and hypotheses: We found two heterozygous mutations in the LHCGR, a n...

Background: Cancer cells have a high NAD turnover rate due to their increased cell proliferation and DNA repair. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is the key enzyme of the NAD salvage pathway, a regulator of the intracellular NAD pool and of the activity of Sirtuins (SIRTs), a class of NAD-dependent deacetylases.Objective and hypotheses: Cancer cells are highly dependent on NAD and are expected to be more susceptible to an inhibition of NAD ...

Background: Animal and human studies have shown that nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), the key enzyme of mammalian NAD biosynthesis from nicotinamide, is modified in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Here, we investigated the effect of a high fat diet on hepatic NAD metabolism in mice.Objective and hypotheses: A dysregulation of NAD metabolism is a pathogenic factor for the development of steatohepatitis (NASH).Metho...

Background: Patients with PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) hamartoma tumor syndrome and germ line mutations in PTEN frequently develop lipomatosis, for which there is no standard treatment. Rapamycin was shown to reduce the growth of lipoma cells with heterozygous PTEN deficiency in vitro, but concomitantly induced an up regulation of AKT phosphorylation.Objective and hypotheses: Since it was shown that resveratrol stabilizes PTEN,...

Background: Dysregulation of phosphate homeostasis in diseases such as tumor-induced osteomalacia and chronic kidney disease are often associated with impairment of musculoskeletal tissue function. While various factors such as intracellular calcium levels and dysegulated endocrine mechanisms are thought to contribute, the role of single factors such as phosphate and its main regulating hormone FGF23 are only partly revealed.Objective and hypotheses: Ino...

Background and aims: Glucocorticoid treatment may influence bone and muscle development in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). This study evaluated bone mineral density (BMD), bone geometry and muscle mass longitudinally throughout childhood.Methods: 18 patients (ten males, eight females) with classical CAH were included. BMD, bone geometry and muscle mass were measured using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) in prepubert...

Background: Several studies show impaired glucose tolerance at a certain number of years after start of growth hormone in SGA-children.Objective and hypotheses: To perform a longitudinal and cross-sectional evaluation of the oGTTs (glucose-insulin-pairs) in prepubertal GH-treated SGA-children and to evaluate if ISI and HOMA are effective surrogates for glucose tolerance and of prognostic value (0–1 year data).Method: In 81 pre...