ESPE Abstracts

Background: Cantù syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by congenital hypertrichosis, neonatal macrosomia, a distinct osteochondrodysplasia, and cardiomegaly. Other findings described are vascular abnormalities, pulmonary hypertension, generalized edema, mild learning disability and behavioral problems. Cantù syndrome is related to an heterozygous pathogenic variant in ABCC9 or KCNJ8, which can be inherited in an autosominal dominant manner or d...

Background: Among their metabolic effects, GH and its mediator IGF1 have been reported to influence hematopoiesis. Indeed, GH/IGF1 axis promotes erythropoiesis and GH deficiency (GHD) has been associated with a normochromic and normocytic anemia both in adults and in children. In contrast, in vivo data on the effects of GH/IGF1 axis on leukocytes and platelets are scanty.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the effects of 4-years GH replacement...

Insulin-induced ovarian hyperstimulation and hyperandrogenization can cause virilization in children and adults. It rarely occurs in children and adolescents but when it does, it is usually caused by congenital adrenal hyperplasia or virilizing tumors. In very rare cases severe hyperandrogenism is caused by severe insulin resistance, either due to germline mutations in genes encoding the insulin receptor or proteins in downstream insulin signaling or due to insulin receptor an...

Introduction: Although many adolescents with gender dysphoria (GD) are being treated with GnRH analogues (GnRHa) and gender affirming hormones there is a paucity of data on the effects and side effects of this treatment in this population. We aimed to study short-term outcome of testosterone treatment in male adolescents with GD.Methods: Sixty-two adolescents who had been treated with GnRHa, and subsequently with testost...

In the past year, basic and genetic studies revealed again novel genes and mechanisms implicated in 46,XX and 46,XY DSD. The Fgf9-/- mouse model of human synostosis syndromes revealed an unexpected male-to-female sex reversal phenotype, so far not observed in humans. Specific heterozygous human WT1 gene variants located in the 4th zinc finger were found to cause 46,XX virilization due to (ovo-)testicular DSD, and the transcription factor...

Background: Intensive insulin treatment allows a good metabolic control and prevents long-term complications. Basal-bolus regimen is the best treatment for children with type 1 diabetes T1D but requires several insulin injections a day. The needle-fear and discomfort felt by the child and parents/caregivers for insulin administration is one of the main obstacle to good compliance.Objective and hypotheses: To compare glycemic control and satisfaction with...

Children diagnosed with adrenocortical tumors (ACT) have variable prognosis depending on disease presentation at diagnosis. Available therapeutic options render excellent outcome for a subset of patients, but limited improvement in the survival of those diagnosed with non-localized/advanced disease. ACT DNA methylation was recently demonstrated to be a robust and independent prognostic biomarker. Aiming to identify potential therapeutic targets for these children, we compared ...

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...

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...