ESPE Abstracts

Background: Cytosine-guanine(CpGs) sites in molecules identified as methylated or unmethylated; the combination of them in the genetic sequence of an individual includes a methylation haplotype (methyl-haplotype) for a specific locus. The insulin gene promoter(IGP) is highly regulated by methylation mechanisms, which lead to alteration of gene expression.Aim: To identify IGPmethyl-haplotypes among children/adolescents wi...

The zebrafish is established as an important model system for studying development and disease, and characterisation of the developmental and functional roles of steroids is crucial for its effective employment in this remit. Whilst oestrogens are known to be essential for female development in zebrafish, the roles of androgens in the development, maintenance and function of the male reproductive system remain unclear.In order to investigate these proces...

Cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme, encoded by the CYP11A1 gene, catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step of steroid hormone biosynthesis. Previous morpholino knockdown studies described the divergent functions of the two cyp11a paralogs in zebrafish. Cyp11a1 has been suggested to be required for early development, whereas cyp11a2 is a functional equivalent of human CYP11A1 and is essential for the initiation and maintenan...

Few treatments for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity achieve meaningful long-term weight-loss and are often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Thus, there is a critical need for a new generation of obesity medications that provide glycemic control with enhanced hypophagic response without nausea. Our group has developed and tested two new monomeric chimeric peptides against a novel target for obesity treatment concomitant with T2D in the form of dual agonism of the anorectic ...

Background: Based on growth screening rules, severe short stature (i.e. height SDS less than -3), at the age of more than 3 years, warrants diagnostic evaluation in specialized health care. In the absence of apparent underlying cause, targeted and eventually untargeted genetic studies have been proposed. However, the etiology of short stature at the severe end of the spectrum is poorly characterized.Methods: We ...

Background: Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS) patients under treatment with growth hormone (GH) have a better body composition and cognitive performance than untreated patients. The 2013 guideline recommended to start this treatment as soon as possible, for that reason 14 toddlers have been included in our center. Classically a 25% decrease in the caloric intake of PWS patients has been recommended to avoid obesity. However, from clinical practice observation, w...

Background: We describe the incidence, etiologies and clinical features of combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) in pediatric patients from a single tertiary center.Methods: The cohort comprised of patients with CPHD, treated in the Helsinki University Hospital between 1985 and 2018. They were identified through an ICD-9/ICD-10 code search, and the clinical data were recorded from the patient charts.<p class="...

Background: Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI), a condition characterised by dysregulation of insulin secretion from the pancreatic beta cells, remains one of the most common causes of hyperinsulinemic, hypoketotic hypoglycaemia in the newborn period. Mutations in ABCC8 and KCNJ11 constitute the majority of genetic forms of CHI. Biallelic inactivating mutations (homozygous or compound heterozygous) in ABCC8 and KCNJ11 are know...

17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17-beta-HSD3) deficiency is an autosomal recessive 46XY disorder of sex development (DSD), which results in impaired gonadal androstenedione conversion to testosterone. The phenotype ranges from female to ambiguous genitalia, with wolffian-duct structures and testes. HCG stimulation tests assess testosterone biosynthesis, though biochemical results in confirmed 17-beta-HSD3 deficiency may overlap with gonadal dysgenesis making diagnosis ch...

Introduction: The clinical hallmark of male puberty is testicular enlargement ≥4 ml. While this initial sign largely depends on central reactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis along with peripheral follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) action, the attainment of voice-break, activation of sweat- and sebaceous- glands, acne as well as axillary hair development require testosterone action.Objective: To investigate the tempo...