ESPE Abstracts

Background: Silver Russell syndrome (SRS) is genetically heterogenous and around 30% of patients with clinical SRS have no genetic diagnosis. Mutations in HMGA2 have recently been identified causing growth failure and an SRS-like phenotype. Despite strong evidence of the crucial role of HMGA2 in growth across species, the mechanism of action of HMGA2 in human linear growth is unclear.Objective:...

Triple A syndrome (AAAS) is a rare, incurable, recessive disorder, characterised by achalasia, alacrima, adrenal failure and a neurodegenerative phenotype. The AAAS gene encodes ALADIN, is a nuclear pore complex (NPC) protein necessary for nuclear import of DNA protective molecules, important for redox homeostasis. ALADIN’s role is not fully characterised: its discovery at the centrosome and the endoplasmic reticulum suggests a role outside the NPC. To date, the ...

Background: Noonan Syndrome (NS) can overlap clinically and biochemically with growth hormone insensitivity [GHI; short stature (SS), low IGF-I and normal/elevated GH levels]. Mutations in multiple genes regulating RAS/MAPK pathway have been identified in NS including LZTR1 variants. Function of LZTR1 is poorly understood and its role in growth retardation is unknown.Objectives: To functionally characte...

Background: Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) in children is an uncommon condition. Diagnosis is usually challenging especially in resource limited settings where facilities for antibodies and genetic testing are constrained. Many genetic etiologies have been reported in children with PAI due to congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and Allgrove syndrome are the commonest identified genetic causes to date in Sudan. Studies from Africa are rare and here we des...

Introduction: Our Centre is an international referral centre for genetic analysis of children with short stature (SS) and features of GH/IGF-1 resistance. Following candidate gene and whole exome sequencing, diagnoses for ~50% patients remained elusive. Copy number variation (CNV) has not previously been investigated in GH/IGF-1 resistance and we hypothesised that CNVs contribute to the phenotype in our undiagnosed cohort.Experimental Design and Methodol...

Background: Timing of puberty is associated with height, cardiovascular health and cancer risk, with a significant public health impact. Previous studies estimate that 60–80% of variation in the timing of pubertal onset is genetically determined. Self-limited delayed puberty (DP) often segregates in an autosomal dominant pattern, but the underlying genetic background is unknown.Methods: We performed whole exome sequencing in 52 members of 7 families...

Context: Severe forms of growth hormone insensitivity (GHI) are characterised by extreme short stature, dysmorphism and metabolic anomalies. They are classically caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations of the growth hormone receptor gene (GHR). Genetic analysis traditionally focuses on the exonic regions of genes that encode proteins rather than the intervening non-coding sequences. These seldom explored non-coding regions may harbour ...

Introduction: Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires appropriate diagnosis and treatment. The most common cause of PAI is congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), but other well-established aetiologies include metabolic and autoimmune disorders, and physical damage. Mutations in more than 30 genes have now been associated with PAI, with considerable biochemical and phenotypic overlap. It is therefore importan...

Introduction: De novo and inherited cases of 16p11.2 microdeletion and duplication syndromes have a spectrum of clinical manifestations, with incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity.16p11.2 copy number variants have shared phenotypic features (autism, developmental delay). Mirror phenotypes have also been described: deletions – obesity, hyperphagia, macrocephaly; duplications – underweight, feeding/eating disor...

Introduction: The complications of obesity are well recognised and documented in the adult population. There is little data available that reports the complications of childhood obesity seen in clinical practice. The aim of our study is to investigate the different types of complications seen in children and young people (CYP) with obesity.Methods: 125 CYP aged 0-18 years who had a body mass index (BMI) standard deviatio...