Epigenetic modifications in the ferroptosis pathway in cord blood cells from newborns of smoking mothers and their influence on fetal growth.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy increases oxidative stress and decreases antioxidant capacity in newborns. Uncontrolled oxidative stress plays a role in fetal development disorders and in adverse perinatal outcomes. In order to identify molecular pathways involved in low fetal growth, epigenetic modifications in newborns of smoking and non-smoking mothers were examined. Low birth weight newborns of mothers who smoked more than 10 cigarettes per day during the first trimester of pregnancy and normal birth weight newborns of mothers who did not smoke during pregnancy were included in the study. DNA was extracted from umbilical cord blood of term newborns. 125 differentially methylated regions were identified by MeDIP-Seq. Functional analysis revealed several pathways, such as ferroptosis, that were enriched in differentially methylated genes after prenatal smoke exposure. GPX4 and PCBP1 were found to be hypermethylated and associated with low fetal growth. These epigenetic modifications in ferroptosis pathway genes in newborns of smoking mothers can potentially contribute to intrauterine growth restriction through the induction of cell death via lipid peroxidation of cell membranes. The identification of epigenetic modifications in the ferroptosis pathway sheds light on the potential mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of low birth weight in infants born to smoking mothers.

[Noonan syndrome: genetic and clinical update and treatment options]. / Síndrome de Noonan: actualización genética, clínica y de opciones terapéuticas.

Noonan syndrome (NS) is a relatively common genetic condition characterised by short stature, congenital heart defects, and distinctive facial features. NS and other clinically overlapping conditions such as NS with multiple lentigines (formerly called LEOPARD syndrome), cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, or Costello syndrome, are caused by mutations in genes encoding proteins of the RAS-MAPKinases pathway. Because of this shared mechanism, these conditions have been collectively termed «RASopathies¼. Despite the recent advances in molecular genetics, nearly 20% of patients still lack a genetic cause, and diagnosis is still made mainly on clinical grounds. NS is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous condition, with variable expressivity and a changing phenotype with age, and affects multiple organs and systems. Therefore, it is essential that physicians involved in the care of these patients are familiarised with their manifestations and the management recommendations, including management of growth and development. Data on growth hormone treatment efficacy are sparse, and show a modest response in height gains, similar to that observed in Turner syndrome. The role of RAS/MAPK hyper-activation in the pathophysiology of this group of disorders offers a unique opportunity for the development of targeted approaches.

Changes in Body Mass Index in Girls with Idiopathic Central Precocious Puberty under Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analogue Therapy: The Spanish Registry.

BACKGROUND: The influence of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) treatment on body mass index (BMI) evolution in girls with idiopathic central precocious puberty (CPP) is unclear. Hence, we aimed to evaluate the effect of GnRHa treatment on BMI-standard deviation score (SDS) from diagnosis of idiopathic CPP until adult height. METHODS: An observational study of girls diagnosed with CPP in Spain was carried out between January 2008 and December 2014. A computer program was designed to process clinical and biological data from patients treated in 55 departments of pediatric endocrinology throughout the country. The inclusion criteria were (1) girls diagnosed with CPP before 8 years of age; (2) born after 1992; (3) with a difference between bone and chronological age of at least 1 year, and (4) with a luteinizing hormone peak >7 U/l during luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone testing. The influence of GnRHa treatment on BMI-SDS evolution was analyzed. RESULTS: Data from 333 girls (22.2% adopted) were evaluated. We report follow-up data at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months and adult height from 269, 232, 198, 153, 105, 56 and 49 girls, respectively. During treatment, there was an increase in BMI-SDS of 0.43 ± 1.17 (95% CI: 0.20-0.64). At adult height (n = 49), BMI-SDS was 1.51 ± 1.38, which was 0.60 ± 1.09 higher than at diagnosis (95% CI: 0.43-0.75). CONCLUSIONS: During treatment with GnRHa, girls experience a significant increase in BMI-SDS that persists after therapy is stopped and adult height has been reached. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A follow-up study to monitor adult height among Spanish children with growth hormone deficiency who received biosimilar human recombinant growth hormone (Omnitrope®) during a phase III clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: An initial Phase III clinical trial has evaluated the efficacy and safety of biosimilar recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH; Omnitrope(®), Sandoz) in Spanish children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). At the end of the study, those patients still growing were offered to remain on treatment (as in usual clinical practice), and continued to be monitored. The aim of this study was to determine the adult height achieved by the Spanish children who participated in the initial Phase III clinical trial, and to evaluate the long-term safety of rhGH treatment. METHODS: This study was a multicenter, observational, retrospective follow-up study of patients who participated in the Phase III clinical trial (70 patients recruited). Auxological parameters [including height, height velocity, and their associated height standard deviation scores (HSDS)] were obtained from 39 patients. Safety was assessed by recording any adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: In total, 27 men and 12 women provided auxological data. At the start of the follow-up study, the mean age of the patients was 12.5 ± 2.7 years, mean height was 144.8 ± 13.9 cm and mean HSDS was -1.16 ± 0.63. By the end of the follow-up period, mean height had increased to 163.1 ± 7.6 cm (n = 36; men 165.5 ± 7.8 cm, women 157.6 ± 3.2 cm) and mean HSDS also increased to -1.01 ± 0.59 (n = 36; men -1.07 ± 0.52, women -0.86 ± 0.72). In terms of safety, no treatment-related AEs were reported during the study. CONCLUSION: This cohort of Spanish patients with GHD showed a positive response to rhGH treatment, achieving adult height within the local normal ranges. In addition, rhGH treatment was well tolerated, with no new or additional safety concerns.

Neurocognitive development of children born small for gestational age (SGA). An update.

The aim of the present study is to confirm that being born SGA is a serious risk for a negative neurocognitive development. 233 cases have been controlled yearly and longitudinally by the same investigator, some of them 11 times, showing 25,8 % an IQ less than 2 SD, being less affected the catch-up + group (15 %), compared to the catch-up - group (31,4 %). The GH therapy (n 64) started before the age of 6 (n 38) or after 6 (n 26), doesn't improve the negative outcome.

Central precocious puberty in children living in Spain: incidence, prevalence, and influence of adoption and immigration.

CONTEXT: No epidemiological data are available on central precocious puberty (CPP) in the general population or in adopted or immigrant children in Spain. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to study the incidence and prevalence of CPP, assess the risk of developing this disorder among adopted and immigrant children, and analyze the predictive variables of CPP associated with intracranial pathology. DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND PATIENTS: An observational study of children diagnosed with CPP in Spain was carried out between January 2008 and January 2010. A computer program was designed to process clinical and biological data and information on 250 patients treated in 34 pediatric endocrinology units throughout the country. RESULTS: Of the patients registered, 226 were girls and 24 were boys. The global incidence rate of CPP was 5.66 cases per million person-years at risk, with an annual incidence ranging between 0.02 and 1.07 new cases per 100,000. The relative risk of CPP in domestic and internationally adopted children compared with those born in Spain was 27.82 (19.99-38.77), whereas the relative risk among immigrants was 1.55 (0.97-2.38). A logistic regression model developed for the study showed that the combined effect of four variables had a significant influence over the presence of organic disease: being male, having been adopted, age at diagnosis, and estimation of adult height. CONCLUSIONS: CPP is a rare disease whose risk markedly increases with both national and international adoption but is not influenced by immigration. These results suggest a psychological influence on CPP.

Longitudinal pubertal growth according to age at pubertal growth spurt onset: data from a Spanish study including 458 children (223 boys and 235 girls).

BACKGROUND: Age at pubertal growth spurt (PGS) onset varies and is sex-dependent. We present anthropometric pubertal growth data for five 1-year interval age maturity groups: very early, early, intermediate, late and very late. METHODS: Longitudinal growth study of 458 healthy children (223 boys, 235 girls). Ages at PGS onset and at adult height attainment, total pubertal growth (TPG), and peak height velocity (PHV) were evaluated. PGS begins between the ages of 10 and 15 in boys and 8 and 13 in girls; children were allocated to the corresponding 1-year interval age maturity group. RESULTS: For each sex, the earlier the start of PGS onset, the higher were PHV and TPG gain. However, adult heights were similar among the five pubertal maturity groups. Height SDS values for mean values of the very early, early, late and very late maturity groups calculated according to data from the five pubertal maturity groups taken together as a single group differed from zero in both sexes, mainly during the pubertal years for the very early (> +1) and very late (> -1) maturers. These differences disappeared at adult height. CONCLUSIONS: Our data might contribute to better clinical evaluation of pubertal growth according to individual pubertal maturity tempo.

Insulin-like growth factors in childhood-onset Gaucher disease.

There is a high prevalence of growth retardation in children with type 1 Gaucher disease. The cause of this poor growth is not yet known; however, studies have shown acceleration of growth with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). IGF are recognized as important determinants of somatic growth. It has been proven that chronic diseases with liver involvement might cause IGF deficiency. The aim of this study was to assess the IGF system in patients with childhood-onset Gaucher disease, before and after ERT, and its association with other clinical and analytical parameters. Twenty-two patients with type I Gaucher disease were included. The diagnosis was established before 14 y of age in all patients. Baseline determinations of total IGF-I, free IGF-I, and IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) were obtained in 19 patients before starting ERT at a mean age of 13.8 +/- 11.2 y. A Spearman test was performed to establish the association with other clinical and analytical parameters. In a group of 13 patients receiving IGF, changes were evaluated during the initial 2 y of treatment. A Wilcoxon test was performed for the statistical analysis. Total IGF-I, free IGF-I, and IGFBP-3 were expressed as SD scores (SDS). We found low levels of IGF and its binding proteins before ERT. A significant association was found between the total IGF-I SDS before treatment and the age-adjusted severity score index: r = -0.62, p < 0.05. Total IGF-I and IGFBP-3 SDS correlated negatively with the presence of the L444P mutation (r = -0.53 and -0.5, respectively, p < 0.05). Height SDS correlated with total IGF-I and IGFBP-3 SDS in eight children (r = 0.84 and 0.78, respectively, p < 0.05). Total IGF-I SDS increased from -1.8 +/- 0.8 to -0.8 +/- 1.4 (p = 0.005) and free IGF-I increased from -1.2 +/- 1 to 1.1 +/- 2.1 after 12 +/- 6.8 mo (p = 0.011) of ERT. IGFBP-3 SDS increased from -1.3 +/- 0.6 to -0.2 +/- 1.2 (p = 0.012) after 12 +/- 4.5 mo of ERT. Type 1 Gaucher disease is associated with low levels of IGF and its binding proteins, which could be a consequence of liver involvement. Total IGF-I deficiency is associated with the severity of the illness. Growth retardation in pediatric patients with Gaucher disease is related to the alterations in IGF axis. Total IGF-I and IGFBP-3 are the two parameters that better correlate with height before treatment. ERT results in significant increase of total IGF-I, free IGF-I, and IGFBP-3 during the first year of treatment.