ESPE Abstracts

Background: The large phenotypic spectrum of Disorders of Sex Development are caused by mutations in many different genes, but a large phenotypic spectrum of sexual disturbancies may also be seen with different mutations in the same gene.Objective and hypotheses: To report on one new mutation in the 5 alfa reductase (SRD5A2) gene, and describe the extremes of the phenotypic spectrum of 5 alfa reductase deficiency presented in two patients.<p class="a...

Background: Prolonged poor dietary habits can result in hypothalamic inflammation and gliosis with more recent studies suggest that other brain areas may also be affected. Western or high fat diet intake has been associated with increased cognitive impairment and aberrant feeding behavior, with males and females being differentially affected. The hippocampus participates in both of these functions. Saturated free fatty acids can induce astrocyte inflammation and this could pot...

Despite the fact that patients with diabetes and medical staff are doing their best to achieve tight glycemic control, most patients all over the world do not achieve the goal. Good glycemic control is crucial to prevent diabetes related complications as well as hypoglycemic episodes, seizure, coma and death. The Diabetes wiREless Artificial Pancreas ConsortiuM (DREAM) was established by three diabetes centers in Slovenia, Germany and Israel, with a goal to reduce the risk of ...

The McCune–Albright syndrome can be a disease of striking complexity, the management of which can be challenging. However, an understanding of the physiologic consequences of the underlying molecular and developmental biology makes the evaluation and treatment of this disease relatively straightforward. MAS arises from activating mutations in the ubiquitously expressed cAMP-signaling protein, Gsα. The mutations occur very early in development, prior to gas...

Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing cells important in normal growth plate development and bone remodeling. The development of osteoclasts is potently driven by mononuclear RANK and osteogenic cell RANKL interaction. Denosumab is a monoclonal antibody drug that targets RANKL and inhibits osteoclastogenesis. It is a potent and effective treatment for pathologic processes that involve bone resorption, such as osteoporosis and bone metastases, conditions for which it is approved. Deno...

Background: The need to understand the relationship between bone, muscle, and fat within the bone-muscle unit has recently gained great prominence. Although high resolution (HR) MRI is a non-invasive imaging modality that can provide this information, there is limited expertise in children and young people.Objectives: To establish MRI-based normative data for bone, bone marrow adiposity and muscle adiposity in children a...

Abnormal DNA methylation contributes to tumor progression and is emerging as a prognostic marker in several types of cancers. To investigate whether DNA methylation is associated with pediatric adrenocortical tumor (pACT) presentation and patient prognosis, we analyzed the methylation profile of 57 tumors (MethylationEPIC BeadChip Array-Illumina) and patients’ clinicopathological features and outcome. The study comprehended 40 girls and 17 boys, with median age at diagnos...

Despite significant advances in the medical management of childhood diseases, glucocorticoids (GCs) continue to be the mainstay of therapy for numerous serious conditions, including hematological malignancies, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and inflammatory disorders. In order to understand the natural history of bone development in GC-treated children, a pan-Canadian longitudinal observational research study called "STOPP" (STeroid...

Catch-up growth (CUG) is characterized by a period of supranormal height velocity following a transient period of growth inhibition. The two classical hypotheses on the mechanism are the neuro-endocrine hypothesis (a central mechanism that would recognize the degree of mismatch between actual size and target size) and the growth plate hypothesis (local regulation of growth according to a preset cellular program of senescence, characterized by decreasing growth proliferation ra...

Study of the histopathology of human type 1 and 2 diabetes through the national pancreatic organ donor (nPOD) consortium has yielded interesting new insights that should also aid us in developing improved therapeutic approaches.1. When insulitis is observed, it usually shows a predominance of CD8 T cells, some of which are autoantigen specific (see also Coppieters et al. JEM 2012). It will be therapeutically challenging to remove/prevent CD8 mem...