ESPE Yearbook of Paediatric Endocrinology

Brief summary: In recent years, generation of human organoids of different tissues from human embryonic stem cells have been realized, e.g. intestine, liver, and lung among others. In contrast, so far all attempts to generate fully mature and functional human thyroid follicular cells from stem cells was not successful. Romitti et al. present for the first time successful generation of transplantable and functional human thyroid organoids derived from human embryonic s...

Brief summary: Growth Hormone (GH)-Insulin-Growth-Factor-1 (IGF-1) axis plays the major role in promoting growth, but novel factors seem to modulate GH-IGF1 axis functioning. The majority of circulating IGF-1 and IGF-2 are bound to IGF-binding proteins (IGF-BPs) which prolong their half-life and regulate their tissue distribution (1,2). Pappalysins (PAPP-A, PAPP-A2) increase IGF-1 bioavailability through cleavage of IGFBPs and are inhibited by stanniocalcins (STC1, STC2) (3,4)...

In Brief: This phase 2 study investigated the effect of the RANKL inhibitor denosumab on fibrous dysplasia lesion activity, as well as the rebound in bone turnover after treatment discontinuation.Commentary: Denosumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits RANKL with potent but transient antiosteoclastic effects, and discontinuation of denosumab treatment is associated with a rebound in bone turnover. In this study, eight women received high do...

Brief summary: Using a combination of expression studies in human embryos as well as functional studies in zebrafish and genetic sequencing of patient with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, this study identified a novel role for Jag1/Notch signaling in the development of GnRH neurons.GnRH neurons have a unique characteristic as they start life in the olfactory placode and then migrate into the hypothalamus during embryonic development, thanks to ...

Brief summary: In this experimental study, immunomodulatory microparticles, consisting of encapsulating self-antigens with rapamycin, were injected into mouse lymph nodes to protect against type 1 diabetes (T1D) and islet graft rejection. Antigens and rapamycin were both required for maximal efficacy and they induced durable tolerance, accompanied by expansion of antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Treg) in both treated and untreated lymph nodes.Antigen...

Brief summary: In the prospective population-based Growing Up in Singapore Toward Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) study (n=437 children, 51.9% boys), the effect of parent-reported screen time in infancy was tested on EEG characteristics and correlated to cognitive outcome. Mean daily screen time at 12 months of age was 2 hours. Infant screen time was associated with altered cortical EEG activity at 18 months and was suggested to explain observed alterations in attention and ...

Brief Summary: This study investigated the genetic determinants of thyroid function in newborns and (pre)school children by analyzing the associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously identified in adults, and childhood TSH within the reference interval, and FT4 concentrations. It included three large population-based cohorts with data on genetic variants and thyroid function: Generation R (Netherlands), ALSPAC (UK), and BLTS (Australia), comprising 7,...

Brief Summary: This study identified a conserved enhancer element located 5’ of the mammalian SRY gene through comparative genomic analysis, which plays a crucial role in the regulation of sexual differentiation. NR5A1 binds to this element. The researchers discovered two distinct hemizygous base pair substitutions within this NR5A1 binding site, both of which involve highly conserved residues: one in a sporadic case of XY sex reversal and the other in a large fa...

Brief Summary: This cross-sectional study identifies two pathogenic variants in the Delta-like noncanonical notch ligand 1 ( DLK1 ) gene in a French cohort of 121 children with idiopathic central precocious puberty (CPP).DLK1 is a noncanonical ligand of the Delta Notch pathway known to be involved in adipocyte differentiation. Its hypothalamic expression suggests a potential role in coordinating reproductive and metabolic functions. Pathogenic v...

Brief Summary: This cross-sectional study in n=19 first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and n=19 control individuals without obesity found that while the intrinsic adipogenic potential of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) is unaffected by a family history of T2DM, alterations in lysyl oxidase (LOX) mRNA expression and polyunsaturated fatty acids in triglycerides are linked to increased T2DM risk, independent of obesity. These findings suggest that ...