ESPE Yearbook of Paediatric Endocrinology

To read the full abstract: Endocrinology, April 2020, 161(4):1–18The aim of this study was to examine the role of growth hormone (GH) on gut microbiome and intestinal phenotype by using two animal models characterized by an opposite GH status: GH gene-disrupted (GH-/-) mice, characterized by GH deficiency; and bovine GH transgenic (bGH) mice with chronic GH excess. The abundance of common bacterial genera, such as Parasutterella, Ruminococc...

To read the full abstract: This genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 16,992 cases of anorexia nervosa and 55 525 controls identified 8 significant loci. The findings show that the genetic architecture of anorexia nervosa mirrors its clinical features, showing significant genetic correlations with psychiatric disorders (obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia), physical activity, and metabolic (including glycemic), lipid and anthropometric trait...

Abstract: Mol. Ther. 2019;27:673–680.In brief: The authors developed a fusion protein containing a cartilage-targeting antibody fragment and Insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf1) and demonstrate that it can stimulate growth plate cartilage at lower and less frequent doses than Igf1. This is a novel approach that paves the way for the development of tissue-specific target...

To read the full abstract: Cell Metab. 2018, 27, 226-236Upon sustained cold exposure, white adipose tissue (WAT) can undergo substantial remodeling, characterized by the appearance of thermogenic brown-like or beige adipocytes. This “browning” of white fat depot also happens in humans and is associated with anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects. This is why WAT “browning&#...

To read the full abstract: Cell Metabolism 2018;27:854-868. e8People gain weight due to treatment with glucocorticoid (GC) drugs, but also in chronic stress and disrupted circadian rhythms. We now learn that fat-cell maturation increases if the trough in exposure to GC lasts less than 12 hours. A long pulse of glucocorticoids lasting 48 hours led most of the cells to differentiate under the ...

In Brief: Growth plate and articular cartilage have similar structures composed of distinct chondrocyte layers but they differ substantially with respect to their function and fate. This study combines transplantation experiments with cell tracing in rat with in vitrostudies to identify a novel mechanism by which synoviocytes act directly on chondrocytes to suppress endochondral and promote articular cartilage at the joint surface.Commentary: Gr...

Brief summary: The authors used data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 to examine the incidence, disability adjusted life years and mortality of early onset type 2 diabetes T2D) in those 15–39 years of age. This showed that early onset T2D is a growing global health problem in adolescents and young adults, particularly in low-middle- and middle-income countries.Early onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with longer lifetime exposure hyp...

Brief summary: Using in-depth multi-omics analyses of human type 1 diabetes (T1D) samples, the authors profiled gut microbial functional and metabolic alterations. The T1D microbiota showed decreased butyrate production and bile acid metabolism and increased lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis. Fecal microbiota transplantation in animal models proved that T1D gut microflora is a causative factor in the regulation of glucose metabolism.The etiology of T...

Nat Commun. 2020 Aug 13;11(1):4063. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-17890-2. PMID: 32792525.These researchers proposed the heterogeneity of hypothalamic neural progenitor cells. Other than traditional hypothalamic radial glial (hRG) cells, which are predominantly located in the ventricular zone, there are additional basal progenitors in the mantle zone, which are named as hypothalamic mantle zo...

Nat Commun. 2021 Jun 7;12(1):3355. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23661-4.This study describes the interaction of individual genetic variation for autoimmune thyroid disease with risk of thyroid immune related adverse events (irAE) during or after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment for advanced cancer.ICIs are monoclonal antibodies blocking T-cell exhaustion and...