Age-related changes in energy metabolism in peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs) and the brains of cognitively healthy seniors.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of cellular senescence and many age-related neurodegenerative diseases. We therefore investigated the relationship between mitochondrial function in peripheral blood cells and cerebral energy metabolites in young and older sex-matched, physically and mentally healthy volunteers. Cross-sectional observational study involving 65 young (26.0 ± 0.49 years) and 65 older (71.7 ± 0.71 years) women and men recruited. Cognitive health was evaluated using established psychometric methods (MMSE, CERAD). Blood samples were collected and analyzed, and fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated. Mitochondrial respiratory complex activity was measured using a Clarke electrode. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and citrate synthase activity (CS) were determined by bioluminescence and photometrically. N-aspartyl-aspartate (tNAA), ATP, creatine (Cr), and phosphocreatine (PCr) were quantified in brains using 1H- and 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). Levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were determined using a radio-immune assay (RIA). Complex IV activity (CIV) (- 15%) and ATP levels (- 11%) were reduced in PBMCs isolated from older participants. Serum levels of IGF-1 were significantly reduced (- 34%) in older participants. Genes involved in mitochondrial activity, antioxidant mechanisms, and autophagy were unaffected by age. tNAA levels were reduced (- 5%), Cr (+ 11%), and PCr (+ 14%) levels were increased, and ATP levels were unchanged in the brains of older participants. Markers of energy metabolism in blood cells did not significantly correlate with energy metabolites in the brain. Age-related bioenergetic changes were detected in peripheral blood cells and the brains of healthy older people. However, mitochondrial function in peripheral blood cells does not reflect energy related metabolites in the brain. While ATP levels in PBMCs may be be a valid marker for age-related mitochondrial dysfunction in humans, cerebral ATP remained constant.

A Novel Method for Adult Height Prediction in Children With Idiopathic Short Stature Derived From a German-Dutch Cohort.

Context: Prediction of adult height (AH) is important in clinical management of short children. The conventional methods of Bayley-Pinneau (BP) or Roche-Wainer-Thissen (RWT) have limitations. Objective: We aimed to develop a set of algorithms for AH prediction in patients with idiopathic short stature (ISS) which are specific for combinations of predicting variables. Methods: Demographic and auxologic data were collected in childhood (1980s) and at AH (1990s). Data were collected by Dutch and German referral centers for pediatric endocrinology. A total of 292 subjects with ISS (219 male, 73 female) were enrolled. The population was randomly split into modeling (n = 235) and validation (n = 57) cohorts. Linear multi-regression analysis was performed with predicted AH (PAH) as response variable and combinations of chronological age (CA), baseline height, parental heights, relative bone age (BA/CA), birth weight, and sex as exploratory variables. Results: Ten models including different exploratory variables were selected with adjusted R² ranging from 0.84 to 0.78 and prediction errors from 3.16 to 3.68 cm. Applied to the validation cohort, mean residuals (PAH minus observed AH) ranged from -0.29 to -0.82 cm, while the conventional methods showed some overprediction (BP: +0.53 cm; RWT: +1.33 cm; projected AH: +3.81 cm). There was no significant trend of residuals with PAH or any exploratory variables, in contrast to BP and projected AH. Conclusion: This set of 10 multi-regression algorithms, developed specifically for children with ISS, provides a flexible tool for AH prediction with better accuracy than the conventional methods.

Serum IGF1 and linear growth in children with congenital leptin deficiency before and after leptin substitution.

BACKGROUND: Evidence from in vitro and rodent studies suggests that leptin, a key signal of long-term energy reserves, promotes IGF1 synthesis and linear growth. This effect of leptin has not been fully investigated in humans. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of leptin substitution on growth factors and linear growth in children with congenital leptin deficiency (CLD). METHODS: In this cohort study we included eight pediatric patients (six males), age 0.9-14.8 years, who were diagnosed with CLD and received leptin substitution at our University Medical Center. We calculated standard deviation scores (SDS) for serum levels of IGF1 and IGFBP3, IGF1/IGFBP3 molar ratio, and height at baseline (T0) and 12 months (T12) after the initiation of substitution with metreleptin. RESULTS: All patients had severe obesity (BMI-SDS mean ± SD: 4.14 ± 1.51) at T0 and significant BMI-SDS reduction to 2.47 ± 1.05 at T12. At T0, all patients were taller than the mid-parental median, yet had low IGF1 and IGF1/IGFBP3 molar ratios (IGF1-SDS[Formula: see text]T0: -1.58 ± 0.92, IGF1/IGFBP3 molar ratio-SDS[Formula: see text]T0: -1.58 ± 0.88). At T12, IGF1-SDS increased significantly (∆T0-12: 1.63 ± 1.40, p = 0.01), and IGFBP3-SDS and IGF1/IGFBP3 molar ratio-SDS showed a trend toward an increase. In the three children within the childhood growth period (post-infancy, pre-puberty) height-SDS increased (∆height-SDST0-12: 0.57 ± 0.06, p = 0.003) despite substantial weight loss. CONCLUSIONS: These results in CLD patients are contrary to observations in children with idiopathic obesity who typically have above-mean IGF1 levels that decrease with weight loss, and therefore suggest that leptin increases IGF1 levels and promotes linear growth.

Corroboration of Height Velocity Prediction Markers for rhGH With an Oral GH Secretagogue Treatment in Children With GHD.

CONTEXT: Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) is approved for treatment of pediatric growth hormone deficiency (GHD), with greatest growth responses observed in those with severe GHD. Orally administered GH secretagogues (GHS) may be useful treatment in patients with moderate GHD. Distinguishing children with severe vs moderate GHD could identify children who would be better treated with rhGH or GHS. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate baseline insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and stimulated peak GH response as predictors of 12-month height velocity (HV) in children with GHD. DESIGN: Data on children with GHD were analyzed in a legacy data base (GeNeSIS data). PARTICIPANTS: 514 naïve to rhGH-treatment, prepubertal children with idiopathic isolated GHD for whom stimulated GH, baseline serum IGF-I, and first-year HV during rhGH treatment data are available. OUTCOME MEASURES: Children with severe or moderate GHD were categorized based on GH and IGF-I data and evaluated based on baseline auxologic and hormone profiles and first-year growth response to rhGH. RESULTS: Cohorts of severe and moderate GHD were 81/514 (15.8%) and 433/514 (84.2%). Cohorts differed significantly with regard to indicators of GHD [eg, baseline height SD score (SDS), height SDS minus target height SDS, HV, HV SDS, and change in height SDS during rhGH treatment]. Multiple regression analysis showed IGF-I and stimulated GH were significant predictors of HV independent of other known variables. Expected first-year HV in moderate GHD was 8.3 cm/y. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of peak GH to GH stimulation testing and baseline IGF-I concentration are predictive enrichment markers for annualized HV responses to rhGH therapy.

Development of a Predictive Enrichment Marker for the Oral GH Secretagogue LUM-201 in Pediatric Growth Hormone Deficiency.

CONTEXT: We hypothesize, based on the degree of residual hypothalamic-pituitary function, that some, but not all, children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) may have beneficial growth responses to the orally administered growth hormone (GH) secretagogue LUM-201. OBJECTIVE: To determine if pretreatment testing can identify predictive enrichment markers (PEM) for subjects with adequate residual function who are responsive to LUM-201. METHODS: We performed an analysis of a completed, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of LUM-201, a GH secretagogue receptor agonist, in which all randomized subjects had pretreatment testing. This international multicenter study conducted in pediatric endocrinology clinics included 68 naïve-to-treatment, prepubertal children with established diagnoses of GHD. Outcome measures included the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive accuracy of potential markers to predict 6-month growth responses to oral LUM-201 and daily rhGH. RESULTS: Two PEM were identified for use in defining PEM-positive status: (1) baseline insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) concentration >30 ng/mL and (2) peak GH response of ≥5 ng/mL upon administration of single-dose LUM-201. PEM-positive status enriches a population for better growth responses to LUM-201. PEM-negative status enriches a population for better growth responses to rhGH. CONCLUSION: Combined, the peak GH response to single-dose LUM-201 and the baseline IGF-I concentration are effective PEMs for 6-month growth responses to LUM-201 and rhGH in prepubertal children with GHD.

Childhood trauma and insulin-like growth factors in amniotic fluid: An exploratory analysis of 79 women.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal stress has adverse effects on fetal outcome, yet the effect of early maternal trauma on fetal outcome has scarcely been studied. We investigated effects of maternal childhood trauma and current environment on important regulators of prenatal growth, fetal insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF-2 in amniotic fluid and assessed the impact of IGFs on newborn anthropometrics. METHODS: 79 pregnant women in their second trimester who underwent amniocentesis (15.9 ± 0.9 weeks of gestational age) and their newborns at birth were analyzed. Maternal childhood trauma was assessed using the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) and current environment was operationalized by assessing maternal psychosocial, physical health and endocrine measurements in amniotic fluid. RESULTS: In this exploratory analysis of 79 pregnant women, maternal childhood trauma, defined as reporting at least low scores on any of the CTQ subscales, negatively correlated with fetal IGF-1 (Mln = 3.48 vs. 2.98; p = 0.012) and IGF-2 (Mdnln = 4.99 vs. 4.70; p = 0.002). Trauma severity, defined as the overall trauma score, negatively correlated with fetal IGF-2 (r = -0.24; p = 0.037). From trauma subscales, maternal sexual abuse correlated with fetal IGF-1 (r = -0.32; p = 0.006) and IGF-2 (r = -0.39; p = 0.001). Maternal BMI negatively correlated with fetal IGF-1 (r = -0.26; p = 0.023) and IGF-2 (r = -0.29; p = 0.011). Newborn anthropometrics were operationalized by length, weight, sex, gestational age, length/gestational age and weight/gestational age at birth. Fetal weight at birth associated with a trend with fetal IGF-1 when controlling for BMI. Maternal hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and maternal exercise did not contribute significantly to predicting fetal IGFs. Maternal childhood trauma (ß = -0.27; p = 0.011) and BMI (ß = -0.24; p = 0.026) remained significantly associated with fetal IGF-1. Maternal childhood trauma (ß = -0.32; p = 0.003), maternal BMI (ß = -0.30; p = 0.005) and maternal sexual abuse (ß = -0.22; p = 0.049) remained significantly associated with fetal IGF-2 and with a trend with fetal IGF-1 (ß = -0.21; p = 0.076) when excluding women with gestational diabetes. CONCLUSION: Maternal childhood trauma and BMI associate negatively with fetal IGF-1 and IGF-2 in amniotic fluid. Controlling for maternal BMI, fetal weight at birth remains associated with a trend with fetal IGF-1. The presented data suggests that childhood trauma can affect endocrine measurements of the developing next generation, providing a mechanism by which adverse maternal life events are transmitted to the next generation.

Height Gain and Safety Outcomes in Growth Hormone-Treated Children with Idiopathic Short Stature: Experience from a Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Growth hormone (GH) treatment of idiopathic short stature (ISS) received US Food and Drug Administration approval in 2003. We assessed height gain and safety in 2,450 children with ISS treated with GH in US clinical practice. METHODS: Short-term height gain, near-adult height (NAH), and safety outcomes were investigated using Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short Stature International Study data. RESULTS: Compared to children with isolated idiopathic GH deficiency (IGHD), those with ISS were shorter at baseline but had similar age and GH dose. Mean ± SD height SD score (SDS) increase was similar for ISS and IGHD, with 0.6 ± 0.3 (first), 0.4 ± 0.3 (second), 0.3 ± 0.3 (third), and 0.1 ± 0.3 (fourth year) for ISS. Girls with ISS (27% of subjects) were younger and shorter than boys but had similar height gain over time. At NAH in the ISS group (n = 467), mean ± SD age, GH duration, and height SDS were 17.3 ± 2.3 years, 4.6 ± 2.7 years, and -1.2 ± 0.9, respectively. Height gain from baseline was 1.1 ± 1.0 SDS and was greater for boys than girls (1.2 ± 1.0 vs. 0.9 ± 0.9), but boys were treated longer (5.1 ± 2.8 vs. 3.6 ± 2.5 years). Adverse events were reported for 24% with ISS versus 20% with IGHD - most were common childhood conditions or previously reported in GH-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: GH-treated children with ISS achieved substantial height gain, similar to patients with IGHD. Fewer GH-treated girls were enrolled than boys, but with similar height SDS gain over time. No ISS-specific safety issues were identified. Thus, GH treatment of ISS appears to have a safety/effectiveness profile similar to that of IGHD.

Genetic Polymorphisms Associated with Idiopathic Short Stature and First-Year Response to Growth Hormone Treatment.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The term idiopathic short stature (ISS) describes short stature of unknown, but likely polygenic, etiology. This study aimed to identify genetic polymorphisms associated with the ISS phenotype, and with growth response to supplemental GH. METHODS: Using a case-control analysis we compared the prevalence of "tall" versus "short" alleles at 52 polymorphic loci (17 in growth-related candidate genes, 35 identified in prior genome-wide association studies of adult height) in 94 children with ISS followed in the Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short Stature International Study, versus 143 controls from the Fels Longitudinal Study. RESULTS: Four variants were nominally associated with ISS using a genotypic model, confirmed by a simultaneous confident inference approach: compared with controls children with ISS had lower odds of "tall" alleles (odds ratio, 95% CI) for GHR (0.52, 0.29-0.96); rs2234693/ESR1 (0.50, 0.25-0.98); rs967417/BMP2 (0.39, 0.17-0.93), and rs4743034/ZNF462 (0.40, 0.18-0.89). Children with ISS also had lower odds of the "tall" allele (A) at the IGFBP3 -202 promoter polymorphism (rs2855744; 0.40, 0.20-0.80) in the simultaneous confident inference analysis. A significant association with 1st-year height SD score increase during GH treatment was observed with rs11205277, located near 4 known genes: MTMR11, SV2A, HIST2H2AA3, and SF3B4; the latter, in which heterozygous mutations occur in Nager acrofacial dysostosis, appears the most relevant gene. CONCLUSIONS: In children with ISS we identified associations with "short" alleles at a number of height-related loci. In addition, a polymorphic variant located near SF3B4 was associated with the GH treatment response in our cohort. The findings in our small study warrant further investigation.

Safety Outcomes During Pediatric GH Therapy: Final Results From the Prospective GeNeSIS Observational Program.

Context: Safety concerns have been raised regarding premature mortality, diabetes, neoplasia, and cerebrovascular disease in association with GH therapy. Objective: To assess incidence of key safety outcomes. Design: Prospective, multinational, observational study (1999 to 2015). Setting: A total of 22,311 GH-treated children from 827 investigative sites in 30 countries. Patients: Children with growth disorders. Interventions: GH treatment. Main outcome measures: Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and standardized incidence ratio (SIR) with 95% CIs for mortality, diabetes, and primary cancer using general population registries. Results: Predominant short stature diagnoses were GH deficiency (63%), idiopathic short stature (13%), and Turner syndrome (8%), with mean ± SD follow-up of 4.2 ± 3.2 years (∼92,000 person-years [PY]). Forty-two deaths occurred in patients with follow-up, with an SMR (95% CI) of 0.61 (0.44, 0.82); the SMR was elevated for patients with cancer-related organic GH deficiency [5.87 (3.21, 9.85)]. Based on 18 cases, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk was elevated [SIR: 3.77 (2.24, 5.96)], but 72% had risk factors. In patients without cancer history, 14 primary cancers were observed [SIR: 0.71 (0.39, 1.20)]. Second neoplasms occurred in 31 of 622 cancer survivors [5.0%; 10.7 (7.5, 15.2) cases/1000 PY] and intracranial tumor recurrences in 67 of 823 tumor survivors [8.1%; 16.9 (13.3, 21.5) cases/1000 PY]. All three hemorrhagic stroke cases had risk factors. Conclusions: GeNeSIS (Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short Stature International Study) data support the favorable safety profile of pediatric GH treatment. Overall risk of death or primary cancer was not elevated in GH-treated children, and no hemorrhagic strokes occurred in patients without risk factors. T2DM incidence was elevated compared with the general population, but most cases had diabetes risk factors.

Growth Hormone Treatment for Short Stature in the USA, Germany and France: 15 Years of Surveillance in the Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short-Stature International Study (GeNeSIS).

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To describe characteristics, auxological outcomes and safety in paediatric patients with growth disorders treated with growth hormone (GH), for cohorts from the USA, Germany and France enrolled in GeNeSIS, a post-authorisation surveillance programme. METHODS: Diagnosis and biochemical measurement data were based on reporting from, and GH treatment was initiated at the discretion of, treating physicians. Auxological outcomes during the first 4 years of GH treatment and at near-adult height (NAH) were analysed. Serious and treatment-emergent adverse events were described. RESULTS: Children in the USA (n = 9,810), Germany (n = 2,682) and France (n = 1,667) received GH (dose varied between countries), most commonly for GH deficiency. Across diagnostic groups and countries, mean height velocity standard deviation score (SDS) was > 0 and height SDS increased from baseline during the first 4 years of treatment, with greatest improvements during year 1. Most children achieved NAH within the normal range (height SDS >-2). No new or unexpected safety concerns were noted. CONCLUSION: GH treatment improved growth indices to a similar extent for patients in all three countries despite variations in GH doses. Data from these three countries, which together contributed > 60% of patients to GeNeSIS, indicated no new safety signals and the benefit-risk profile of GH remains unchanged.

The growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor-I axis in the diagnosis and treatment of growth disorders.

The growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I axis is a key endocrine mechanism regulating linear growth in children. While paediatricians have a good knowledge of GH secretion and assessment, understanding and use of measurements of the components of the IGF system are less current in clinical practice. The physiological function of this axis is to increase the anabolic cellular processes of protein synthesis and mitosis, and reduction of apoptosis, with each being regulated in the appropriate target tissue. Measurement of serum IGF-I and IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-3 concentrations can complement assessment of GH status in the investigation of short stature and contribute to prediction of growth response during GH therapy. IGF-I monitoring during GH therapy also informs the clinician about adherence and provides a safety reference to avoid over-dosing during long-term management.

Growth hormone receptor-deficient pigs resemble the pathophysiology of human Laron syndrome and reveal altered activation of signaling cascades in the liver.

OBJECTIVE: Laron syndrome (LS) is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder in humans caused by loss-of-function mutations of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene. To establish a large animal model for LS, pigs with GHR knockout (KO) mutations were generated and characterized. METHODS: CRISPR/Cas9 technology was applied to mutate exon 3 of the GHR gene in porcine zygotes. Two heterozygous founder sows with a 1-bp or 7-bp insertion in GHR exon 3 were obtained, and their heterozygous F1 offspring were intercrossed to produce GHR-KO, heterozygous GHR mutant, and wild-type pigs. Since the latter two groups were not significantly different in any parameter investigated, they were pooled as the GHR expressing control group. The characterization program included body and organ growth, body composition, endocrine and clinical-chemical parameters, as well as signaling studies in liver tissue. RESULTS: GHR-KO pigs lacked GHR and had markedly reduced serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) levels and reduced IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) activity but increased IGFBP2 levels. Serum GH concentrations were significantly elevated compared with control pigs. GHR-KO pigs had a normal birth weight. Growth retardation became significant at the age of five weeks. At the age of six months, the body weight of GHR-KO pigs was reduced by 60% compared with controls. Most organ weights of GHR-KO pigs were reduced proportionally to body weight. However, the weights of liver, kidneys, and heart were disproportionately reduced, while the relative brain weight was almost doubled. GHR-KO pigs had a markedly increased percentage of total body fat relative to body weight and displayed transient juvenile hypoglycemia along with decreased serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Analysis of insulin receptor related signaling in the liver of adult fasted pigs revealed increased phosphorylation of IRS1 and PI3K. In agreement with the loss of GHR, phosphorylation of STAT5 was significantly reduced. In contrast, phosphorylation of JAK2 was significantly increased, possibly due to the increased serum leptin levels and increased hepatic leptin receptor expression and activation in GHR-KO pigs. In addition, increased mTOR phosphorylation was observed in GHR-KO liver samples, and phosphorylation studies of downstream substrates suggested the activation of mainly mTOR complex 2. CONCLUSION: GHR-KO pigs resemble the pathophysiology of LS and are an interesting model for mechanistic studies and treatment trials.

Growth response to growth hormone treatment in patients with SHOX deficiency can be predicted by the Cologne prediction model.

Background Growth hormone (GH) treatment in children with short stature homeobox-containing gene (SHOX) deficiency is recognized to increase height velocity (HV) and adult height. Prediction of growth response continues to be a challenge. A comparatively accurate method is the Cologne prediction model developed in children with GH deficiency. The aim was to investigate whether this model also applies to patients with SHOX deficiency. Methods Included were 48 patients with SHOX deficiency confirmed by DNA analysis and treated with 0.05 mg/kg/day of somatropin. Prediction by the Cologne model uses the following variables: relative bone age (BA) retardation, baseline insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD) cross-links at 4 weeks and HV at 3 months. Results HV and height standard deviation scores (SDS) increased significantly during the first year of treatment. Predicted and observed HV (cm/year) showed a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.50 (p<0.001; root-mean-square error=1.63) and for first-year change in height SDS a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.751 (p<0.001; root-mean-square error=0.32). Poor response could be adequately predicted using SDS change, with sensitivity and specificity both above 70% for certain thresholds. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that the Cologne model can be used to predict growth response in patients with SHOX deficiency with reasonable precision in the first treatment year, comparable to prediction in patients with GH deficiency.

Mortality in Children Receiving Growth Hormone Treatment of Growth Disorders: Data From the Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short Stature International Study.

Context: Although pediatric growth hormone (GH) treatment is generally considered safe for approved indications, concerns have been raised regarding potential for increased risk of mortality in adults treated with GH during childhood. Objective: To assess mortality in children receiving GH. Design: Prospective, multinational, observational study. Setting: Eight hundred twenty-seven study sites in 30 countries. Patients: Children with growth disorders. Interventions: GH treatment during childhood. Main Outcome Measure: Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using age- and sex-specific rates from the general population. Results: Among 9504 GH-treated patients followed for ≥4 years (67,163 person-years of follow-up), 42 deaths were reported (SMR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.56 to 1.05). SMR was significantly elevated in patients with history of malignant neoplasia (6.97; 95% CI, 3.81 to 11.69) and borderline elevated for those with other serious non-GH-deficient conditions (2.47; 95% CI, 0.99-5.09). SMRs were not elevated for children with history of benign neoplasia (1.44; 95% CI, 0.17 to 5.20), idiopathic GHD (0.11; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.33), idiopathic short stature (0.20; 95% CI, 0.01 to 1.10), short stature associated with small for gestational age (SGA) birth (0.66; 95% CI, 0.08 to 2.37), Turner syndrome (0.51; 95% CI, 0.06 to 1.83), or short stature homeobox-containing (SHOX) gene deficiency (0.83; 95% CI, 0.02 to 4.65). Conclusions: No significant increases in mortality were observed for GH-treated children with idiopathic GHD, idiopathic short stature, born SGA, Turner syndrome, SHOX deficiency, or history of benign neoplasia. Mortality was elevated for children with prior malignancy and those with underlying serious non-GH-deficient medical conditions.

Safety Outcomes and Near-Adult Height Gain of Growth Hormone-Treated Children with SHOX Deficiency: Data from an Observational Study and a Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To assess auxological and safety data for growth hormone (GH)-treated children with SHOX deficiency. METHODS: Data were examined for GH-treated SHOX-deficient children (n = 521) from the observational Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short Stature International Study (GeNeSIS). For patients with near-adult height information, GeNeSIS results (n = 90) were compared with a clinical trial (n = 28) of SHOX-deficient patients. Near-adult height was expressed as standard deviation score (SDS) for chronological age, potentially increasing the observed effect of treatment. RESULTS: Most SHOX-deficient patients in GeNeSIS had diagnoses of Leri-Weill syndrome (n = 292) or non-syndromic short stature (n = 228). For GeNeSIS patients with near-adult height data, mean age at GH treatment start was 11.0 years, treatment duration 4.4 years, and height SDS gain 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.49-1.17). Respective ages, GH treatment durations and height SDS gains for GeNeSIS patients prepubertal at baseline (n = 42) were 9.2 years, 6.0 years and 1.19 (0.76-1.62), and for the clinical trial cohort they were 9.2 years, 6.0 years and 1.25 (0.92-1.58). No new GH-related safety concerns were identified. CONCLUSION: Patients with SHOX deficiency who had started GH treatment before puberty in routine clinical practice had a similar height gain to that of patients in the clinical trial on which approval for the indication was based, with no new safety concerns.

Sex Differences in Age-Related Decline of Urinary Insulin-Like Growth Factor-Binding Protein-3 Levels in Adult Bonobos and Chimpanzees.

There is increasing interest in the characterization of normative senescence in humans. To assess to what extent aging patterns in humans are unique, comparative data from closely related species, such as non-human primates, can be very useful. Here, we use data from bonobos and chimpanzees, two closely related species that share a common ancestor with humans, to explore physiological markers that are indicative of aging processes. Many studies on aging in humans focus on the somatotropic axis, consisting of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs). In humans, IGFBP-3 levels decline steadily with increasing age. We used urinary IGFBP-3 levels as an alternative endocrine marker for IGF-I to identify the temporal pattern known to be related with age-related changes in cell proliferation, growth, and apoptosis. We measured urinary IGFBP-3 levels in samples from 71 bonobos and 102 chimpanzees. Focusing on samples from individuals aged 10 years or older, we found that urinary IGFBP-3 levels decline in both ape species with increasing age. However, in both species, females start with higher urinary IGFBP-3 levels than males, experience a steeper decline with increasing age, and converge with male levels around the age of 30-35 years. Our measurements of urinary IGFBP-3 levels indicate that bonobos and chimpanzees mirror human patterns of age-related decline in IGFBP-3 in older individuals (<10 years) of both sexes. Moreover, such as humans, both ape species show sex-specific differences in IGFBP-3 levels with females having higher levels than males, a result that correlates with sex differences in life expectancy. Using changes in urinary IGFBP-3 levels as a proxy for changes in GH and IGF-I levels that mark age-related changes in cell proliferation, this approach provides an opportunity to investigate trade-offs in life-history strategies in cross-sectional and in longitudinal studies, both in captivity and in the wild.

Assessment of Primary Cancer Incidence in Growth Hormone-Treated Children: Comparison of a Multinational Prospective Observational Study with Population Databases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although results of the majority of clinical studies have shown no association between growth hormone (GH) treatment in childhood and risk of primary cancer, concerns remain regarding the potential influence of GH therapy on neoplastic cell growth. This study evaluated the incidence of primary malignancies in a large observational study of paediatric GH treatment. METHODS: Primary cancer incidence was assessed in a cohort of 19,054 GH-treated children without a reported prestudy history of malignancy in the observational Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short Stature International Study (GeNeSIS). The standardised incidence ratio (SIR) for primary cancer in GH-treated children was determined by comparing cancer incidence in the GeNeSIS study population with incidence rates for country-, age-, and sex-matched cohorts of the general population. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 3.4 years in GeNeSIS (64,705 person-years), 13 incident potential primary cancers were identified in GH-treated patients. The SIR (95% confidence interval) for all observed cancers was 1.02 (0.54-1.75), and the crude incidence was 20.1 (10.7-34.4) cases per 100,000 person-years. CONCLUSION: Acknowledging the relatively short follow-up in our study, GH-treated children without a history of previous malignancy did not have a higher risk of all-site primary cancer during the study when compared to general-population cancer registries.

Development of additional pituitary hormone deficiencies in pediatric patients originally diagnosed with isolated growth hormone deficiency due to organic causes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine characteristics of children initially diagnosed with isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) of organic aetiology, who later developed multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD). DESIGN: Data were analysed for 716 growth hormone-treated children with organic IGHD, who were growth hormone-naïve at baseline in the multinational, observational Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short Stature International Study. METHODS: Development of MPHD was ascertained from investigator-provided diagnoses, adverse events and concomitant medications. Analyses were performed for all patients and separately for those who developed MPHD within 4.5 years or had >3.5 years follow-up and continued to have IGHD (4-year cohort). RESULTS: MPHD developed in 71/716 (9.9%) children overall, and in 60/290 (20.7%) in the 4-year cohort. The most frequent additional deficiencies were thyroid-stimulating hormone (47 patients) and gonadotropins (23 patients). Compared with those who remained with IGHD, children who developed MPHD had more severe GHD at study entry, significantly lower baseline insulin-like growth factor1, peak stimulated growth hormone, and more frequent diagnosis of intracranial tumour or mutation of gene(s) controlling hypothalamic-pituitary development and/or function. Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified female gender, longer follow-up, higher baseline age and lower peak stimulated growth hormone as predictors of MPHD development. CONCLUSIONS: MPHD is more likely to develop in patients with severe organic IGHD, especially those with history of intracranial tumour or mutation of gene(s) controlling hypothalamic-pituitary development and/or function. Older baseline age, female gender and longer follow-up duration were also associated with higher incidence of MPHD. Long-term monitoring of pituitary function is recommended, irrespective of the aetiology of GHD.

Genesis of two most prevalent PROP1 gene variants causing combined pituitary hormone deficiency in 21 populations.

Two variants (c.[301_302delAG];[301_302delAG] and c.[150delA];[150delA]) in the PROP1 gene are the most common genetic causes of recessively inherited combined pituitary hormones deficiency (CPHD). Our objective was to analyze in detail the origin of the two most prevalent variants. In the multicentric study were included 237 patients with CPHD and their 15 relatives carrying c.[301_302delAG];[301_302delAG] or c.[150delA];[150delA] or c.[301_302delAG];[ 150delA]. They originated from 21 different countries worldwide. We genotyped 21 single-nucleotide variant markers flanking the 9.6-Mb region around the PROP1 gene that are not in mutual linkage disequilibrium in the general populations--a finding of a common haplotype would be indicative of ancestral origin of the variant. Haplotypes were reconstructed by Phase and Haploview software, and the variant age was estimated using an allelic association method. We demonstrated the ancestral origin of both variants--c.[301_302delAG] was carried on 0.2 Mb-long haplotype in a majority of European patients arising ~101 generations ago (confidence interval 90.1-116.4). Patients from the Iberian Peninsula displayed a different haplotype, which was estimated to have emerged 23.3 (20.1-29.1) generations ago. Subsequently, the data indicated that both the haplotypes were transmitted to Latin American patients ~13.8 (12.2-17.0) and 16.4 (14.4-20.1) generations ago, respectively. The c.[150delA] variant that was carried on a haplotype spanning about 0.3 Mb was estimated to appear 43.7 (38.4-52.7) generations ago. We present strong evidence that the most frequent variants in the PROP1 gene are not a consequence of variant hot spots as previously assumed, but are founder variants.