ESPE Yearbook of Paediatric Endocrinology

In Brief: The authors harness large-scale genetic and DNA methylation datasets in an epigenome-wide Mendelian randomization approach, to identify CpG sites that appear to be causally related to aging-related traits. These sites are collated to produce 2 epigenetic clocks: DamAge has adverse impacts on age-related outcomes, including mortality. AdaptAge appears to confer beneficial adaptations.Steve Horvath and others originally described various epigenet...

Epigenomics. 2021 Aug;13(15):1221-1230. doi: 10.2217/epi-2021-0096. PMID: 34337972.Brief Summary: This case cohort study assessed whether epigenetic factors explain the link between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and macrosomia. Epigenetic changes in the MEST gene were associated with both GDM and macrosomia.GDM leads to neonatal macrosomia and in the long-t...

Cell Metabolism 2022;34(5):667-80.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2022.03.006Brief Summary: In preclinical models and a phase 1 trial, a powerful new lipid small molecule was shown to act through a mechanism distinct from those of known hypolipidemic agents. Targeting HNF-1α may be a new therapeutic strategy.Comment: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is the most common...

Nat Commun. 2021 May 11;12(1):2677. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-22859-w. PMID: 33976139This work generated an integrated single nucleus multi-omics resource to elucidate the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate transcriptional networks in the murine pituitary. The authors identified epigenetically defined cell type composition, cell type-specific and sex-specific differences in transcription...

Brief summary: This collaborative study identified 13 monoallelic rare loss-of-function (LoF) variants in the serotonin 2C receptor (HTR2C) gene in 19 unrelated individuals with hyperphagia, severe early-onset obesity, and some degree of maladaptive behaviour. The authors used exome sequencing in 2548 individuals with severe obesity and 1117 control individuals without obesity. They found that HTR2C variants cause monogenic obesity by demonstrating t...