ESPE Abstracts

In the early 2000’s, our lab began its efforts to characterize the large-scale functional organization of endocrine cell types within the mammalian pituitary gland. These studies were driven by a long-standing paradox of pituitary function: endocrine cell populations are capable of mounting massive hormone pulses in vivo (e.g. a 1,000-fold increase in GH levels in young mature males), while the same cells isolated from their tissue context respond weakly...

Background: Determination of the gonads in men is closely dependent on Sertoli cells differentiation and maturation. Many cases of differences of sex development (DSD) are caused by variations in these processes. The study of the mechanisms underlying these complex conditions is crucial for optimal clinical management and Sertoli cells would be an ideal model for this purpose. Our human Sertoli-like cell model (SLCs) may shed some light on the identification o...

Introduction: Mammalian sex development is directly dependent on gonadal determination. Whole exome sequencing in patients with differences of sex development (DSD) allows the discovery of new factors involved in human sex development. One of these factors is NWD1 (NACHT and WD repeat domain containing 1) a cytosolic protein that seems to play a role in modulating androgen receptor signaling. We identified variants in the NWD1 gene in six und...

Abstract: Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1)/"nuclear receptor subfamily 5 group A member 1" (NR5A1) is involved in adrenal and gonadal development, steroidogenesis and reproduction. The first patient, published in 1999 presented with a 46,XY difference of sex development (DSD) and adrenal insufficiency. The following year the first female patient with only adrenal insufficiency was described. Since then, heterozygous changes in SF-1/NR5A1 causing 46,XY DSD ...

Introduction: Congenital central hypothyroidism is a rare pathology, whose molecular origin has been identified more frequently since discovery of the role of IGSF1. The natural evolution of central hypothyroidism in patients with mutations is not well known however.Case report: A male infant born at term with a normal birth weight received thyroid function tests in the neonatal period because of symptoms of bra...

Background: Management of people with T1DM on intensive insulin therapy (IIT) uses algorithms based on the meal carbohydrate (CHO) content (MCC) to calculate prandial insulin dose. Typically, these calculations do not consider the meal content of fat or protein.Objective: To determine if the postprandial blood glucose (BG) response to varying fat content is dose dependent when standard insulin bolus is given based on MCC.Methods: R...

Background: Variants in the estrogen receptor α (ESR1) have previously been described in male and female patients presenting with estrogen resistance. Estrogen resistance is characterized by delayed bone-age, early-onset osteoporosis, delayed puberty and multicystic ovaries in women. So far, no clinical consequences of variants in the estrogen receptor β (ESR2) have been reported in 46,XX patients, although ESR2 variants have previously been implicated in 46,XY DSD p...

We report the case of a 19 years old male patient suffering from a multisystem disease involving of the skeleton, connective tissue, immune system, brain and endocrine system due to compound-heterozygote mutations in the NBAS (Neuroblastoma amplified sequence) gene (c.5741G>A [p.(Arg1914His)]; c.6565_6566insT [p.(Glu2189Valfs*7)]), detected using whole-exome-sequencing. He has an immunodeficiency including decreased CD4+T-cells, B-cells and NK-cells with expanded ...

Background: Despite current treatment, girls and women with severe forms of 21OHD are exposed lifelong to a chronic excess of androgens and the secondary effects of suppressive corticoids, which make gene therapy (GT) an option to be explored.Objective: To evaluate the effect of human CYP21 gene transfer mediated by adeno-associated virus (AAV) in a Cyp21−/− mouse model.Methods: 17 adult <em...

Background: Cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1 gene) catalyses the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone in steroidogenic cells, the first step in the biosynthesis of all steroid hormones. SCC deficiency has been established as an autosomal recessive disorder caused by inactivating homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the CYP11A1 gene, with a wide phenotypic spectrum ranging from prematurity, complete underandrogenization and severe early-onset...