ESPE Abstracts

Background: Obesity is a persistent disorder that almost universally recurs following treatment, suggesting a disruption on central nervous system control over energy homeostasis. Recent literature suggests that hypothalamic inflammation may have an important role on obesity pathogenesis. This inflammatory reaction, which histologically appears as a reactive gliosis, may be detected using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and has just been shown in rodent models and adults.</p...

Background: Primary ovarian failure (POF) is a major cause of female infertility. POF is characterized by amenorrhea, hypo-estrogenism, and elevated gonadotrophin levels. In POF disorder, several genetic alterations have been described, however in most of the patients the etiology of this disorder remains unknown.Objective and hypotheses: To identify new genes implicated in the development of POF using whole-exome sequencing (WES)....

Deficiency of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A2 (PAPP-A2), a protease that regulates IGF-1 availability, causes postnatal growth failure and changes in bone size and density in humans and mice. The present study aimed to determine the effects of daily administration (from PND5 to PND35) of recombinant murine (rm) PAPP-A2, in comparison to rmGH and rmIGF1, on mouse auxology and bone microarchitecture in homozygous Pappa2 knock-out (ko/ko) mice of both sexes. Hormone treatm...

The growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) system is essential for optimal human growth and energy homeostasis. Deficiency of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A2 (PAPP-A2), a protease involved in the liberation of free IGF-1, leads to problems in growth and bone density in humans and mice. Patients with PAPP-A2 deficiency also present lower body mass and mild glucose intolerance. The present study aimed to determine the influence of 1 month of high carbohydr...

Objective: To determine the prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in children with dry bloodspot TSH (b-TSH) between 5 and 10 mIU/l in neonatal screening and evaluate their thyroid function evolution.Methods: Retrospective study of thyroid function in children born from 2003 to 2010 with b-TSH between 5 and 10 mIU/l who were put on treatment in the first two years of life due to serum TSH≥10 mIU/l. The prevalence of CH ...

Background: Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is frequent in adrenocortical tumors (ACTs). This pathway and DAX1, a negative regulator of SF1 expression, control adrenal stem/progenitor cells, which can be involved in ACTs formation.Objective: To analyse the association between the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the expression of a stem cell marker (NANOG), STAT3, DAX1 and SF1 in ACTs.Methods: Patients:...

Background: Ovotesticular Disorder of Sex Development (OTDSD – true hermaphroditism) is rare, characterized by the presence of both presence of both testis and ovay tissue. Usually, these patients seek medical attention due to ambiguous genitalia.Case presentation: A 15-year-old boy, with ‘atypical’ genitalia and breast enlargement came for surgical correction. His genitalia had a more masculine aspect at birth and he had been submitted to...

Background: Familial male-limited precocious puberty, known as testotoxicosis, is an autosomal dominant disease that leads to the activation of luteinizing hormone receptor. It presents with progressive virilization, advanced bone age and linear growth acceleration and may lead to loss in predicted adult height. We report the case of a patient diagnosed with testotoxicosis at two years of age.Case presentation: Two-year-old boy with penis enlargement and...

Background: The sonic hedgehog pathway (SHH) regulates CNS development and mutations or abnormal expression of the SHH pathway genes have been identified in epithelial tumors. SHH pathway interacts with Wnt/β-catenin signalling. To date, CTNNB1/β-catenin mutations are the sole molecular abnormality found in adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas (ACPs).Objective and Hypotheses: To analyze the expression pattern of SHH pathway genes in ACPs and its...

Background: overexpression of the oncogene Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), a Hippo pathway target, associates with increased cell proliferation in some human cancers. There is not data on adrenocortical tumors (ACT). YAP1 is a potential target of Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which plays an important role in ACTs.Objective and hypotheses: to evaluate the role of YAP1 and its interaction with the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in ACT.Met...