51
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Vandewalle J, Libert C. Glucocorticoids in Sepsis: To Be or Not to Be. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1318. [PMID: 32849493 PMCID: PMC7396579 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sepsis is a highly lethal syndrome resulting from dysregulated immune and metabolic responses to infection, thereby compromising host homeostasis. Activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and subsequently adrenocortical glucocorticoid (GC) production during sepsis are important regulatory processes to maintain homeostasis. Multiple preclinical studies have proven the pivotal role of endogenous GCs in tolerance against sepsis by counteracting several of the sepsis characteristics, such as excessive inflammation, vascular defects, and hypoglycemia. Sepsis is however often complicated by dysfunction of the HPA axis, resulting from critical-illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) and GC resistance. Therefore, GCs have been tested as an adjunctive therapy in sepsis and septic shock in different randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Nonetheless, these studies produced conflicting results. Interestingly, adding vitamin C and thiamin to GC therapy enhances the effects of GCs, probably by reducing GC resistance, and this results in an impressive reduction in sepsis mortality as was shown in two recent preliminary retrospective before–after studies. Multiple RCTs are currently underway to validate this new combination therapy in sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolien Vandewalle
- Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Claude Libert
- Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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52
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Zhang T, Liang Y, Zhang J. Natural and synthetic compounds as dissociated agonists of glucocorticoid receptor. Pharmacol Res 2020; 156:104802. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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53
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Lucafò M, Franzin M, Decorti G, Stocco G. A patent review of anticancer glucocorticoid receptor modulators (2014-present). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2020; 30:313-324. [PMID: 32148111 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2020.1740206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Natural and synthetic glucocorticoids are widely employed in different diseases, among which are hematological and solid tumors. Their use is however associated with a number of serious side effects and by the occurrence of resistance. With the aim of separating their gene transactivating effect, more linked to side effects, from transrepressive properties, associated with therapeutic efficacy, a number of selective glucocorticoid modulators have been identified.Areas covered: This review summarizes the patent applications from 2014 to present in the field of selective glucocorticoid receptor modulators employed in cancer therapy. Only few patents have been identified, that concern the identification of new molecules or the method of use of already patented compounds. In addition, a discussion of the mechanism of action of these compounds is included.Expert opinion: Only a very limited number of patents have been applied that concern selective glucocorticoid receptor modulators and their use in cancer. Biological information is scarce for most of these patents; more research is necessary in this field in particular concerning clinical data in order to understand whether it is actually possible to improve the efficacy and therapeutic index of these compounds in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Lucafò
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health I.R.C.C.S. Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Martina Franzin
- PhD Course in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuliana Decorti
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health I.R.C.C.S. Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Gabriele Stocco
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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54
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Ponce-Lina R, Serafín N, Carranza M, Arámburo C, Prado-Alcalá RA, Luna M, Quirarte GL. Differential Phosphorylation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor in Hippocampal Subregions Induced by Contextual Fear Conditioning Training. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:12. [PMID: 32116592 PMCID: PMC7031480 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aversive events induce the release of glucocorticoid stress hormones that facilitate long-term memory consolidation, an effect that depends on the activation of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs). GRs are distributed widely in the hippocampus. The dorsal region of the hippocampus has been related to cognitive functions and the ventral region to stress and emotion. GR acts as a transcription factor which after hormone binding becomes phosphorylated, affecting its cellular distribution and transcriptional activity. Two functionally well-described GR phosphorylation sites are serine 232 (pSer232), which enhances gene expression, and serine 246 (pSer246), having the opposite effect. Since gene expression is one of the plastic mechanisms needed for memory consolidation, we investigated if an aversive learning task would induce GR phosphorylation in the dorsal (DH) and the ventral (VH) hippocampus. We trained rats in contextual fear conditioning (CFC) using different foot-shock intensities (0.0, 0.5, or 1.5 mA). One subgroup of animals trained with each intensity was sacrificed 15 min after training and blood was collected to quantify corticosterone (CORT) levels in serum. Another subgroup was sacrificed 1 h after training and brains were collected to evaluate the immunoreactivity (IR) to GR, pSer232 and pSer246 by SDS-PAGE/Western blot in DH and VH, and by immunohistochemistry in dorsal and ventral CA1, CA2, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG) hippocampal regions. The conditioned freezing response increased in animals trained with 0.5 and 1.5 mA during training and extinction sessions. The degree of retention and CORT levels were directly related to the intensity of the foot-shock. Although total GR-IR remained unaffected after conditioning, we observed a significant increase of pSer246-IR in the dorsal region of CA1 and in both dorsal and ventral DG. The only region in which pSer232-IR was significantly elevated was ventral CA3. Our results indicate that fear conditioning training is related to GR phosphorylation in specific subregions of the hippocampus, suggesting that its transcriptional activity for gene expression is favored in ventral CA3, whereas its repressor activity for gene-silencing is increased in dorsal CA1 and in both dorsal and ventral DG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Ponce-Lina
- Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Norma Serafín
- Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Martha Carranza
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Carlos Arámburo
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Roberto A Prado-Alcalá
- Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Maricela Luna
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Gina L Quirarte
- Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
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55
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Ciato D, Albani A. Molecular Mechanisms of Glucocorticoid Resistance in Corticotropinomas: New Developments and Drug Targets. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:21. [PMID: 32117053 PMCID: PMC7025590 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cushing's disease is characterized by excessive adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) secretion caused by a corticotroph tumor of the pituitary gland, leading to hypercortisolism and increased morbidity and mortality. The molecular causes of the disease are not completely understood, therefore more research is needed to discover novel molecular targets and more effective treatments. To date, the SSTR-analog pasireotide is the only approved drug for Cushing's Disease treatment that is directly targeting the source of the disease. Targeting directly the activity of glucocorticoid receptor or the factors modulating it might be a new valid option for the medical management of Cushing's disease. Here, we briefly review the molecular mechanisms involved in the glucocorticoid negative feedback and glucocorticoid resistance and examine novel targets and therapies that might effectively restore glucocorticoid sensitivity.
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56
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Liberman AC, Budziñski ML, Sokn C, Gobbini RP, Ugo MB, Arzt E. SUMO conjugation as regulator of the glucocorticoid receptor-FKBP51 cellular response to stress. Steroids 2020; 153:108520. [PMID: 31604074 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2019.108520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
In order to adequately respond to stressful stimuli, glucocorticoids (GCs) target almost every tissue of the body. By exerting a negative feedback loop in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis GCs inhibit their own synthesis and restore homeostasis. GCs actions are mostly mediated by the GC receptor (GR), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Alterations of the GR activity have been associatedto different diseases including mood disorders and can lead to severe complication. Therefore, understanding the molecular complexity of GR modulation is mandatory for the development of new and effective drugs for treating GR-associated disorders. FKBP51 is a GR chaperone that has gained much attention because it is a strong inhibitor of GR activity and has a crucial role in psychiatric diseases. Both GR and FKBP51 activity are regulated by SUMOylation, a posttranslational (PTM). In this review, we focus on the impact of SUMO-conjugation as a regulator of this pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C Liberman
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)- CONICET - Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina.
| | - Maia L Budziñski
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)- CONICET - Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina
| | - Clara Sokn
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)- CONICET - Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina
| | - Romina P Gobbini
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)- CONICET - Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina
| | - Maria B Ugo
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)- CONICET - Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina
| | - Eduardo Arzt
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)- CONICET - Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina; Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina.
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57
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Parsonnet NV, Lammer NC, Holmes ZE, Batey RT, Wuttke DS. The glucocorticoid receptor DNA-binding domain recognizes RNA hairpin structures with high affinity. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:8180-8192. [PMID: 31147715 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binds the noncoding RNA Gas5 via its DNA-binding domain (DBD) with functional implications in pro-apoptosis signaling. Here, we report a comprehensive in vitro binding study where we have determined that GR-DBD is a robust structure-specific RNA-binding domain. GR-DBD binds to a diverse range of RNA hairpin motifs, both synthetic and biologically derived, with apparent mid-nanomolar affinity while discriminating against uniform dsRNA. As opposed to dimeric recognition of dsDNA, GR-DBD binds to RNA as a monomer and confers high affinity primarily through electrostatic contacts. GR-DBD adopts a discrete RNA-bound state, as assessed by NMR, distinct from both free and DNA-bound. NMR and alanine mutagenesis suggest a heightened involvement of the C-terminal α-helix of the GR-DBD in RNA-binding. RNA competes for binding with dsDNA and occurs in a similar affinity range as dimer binding to the canonical DNA element. Given the prevalence of RNA hairpins within the transcriptome, our findings strongly suggest that many RNAs have potential to impact GR biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas V Parsonnet
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Campus Box 596, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA
| | - Nickolaus C Lammer
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Campus Box 596, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA
| | - Zachariah E Holmes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Campus Box 596, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA
| | - Robert T Batey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Campus Box 596, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA
| | - Deborah S Wuttke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Campus Box 596, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA
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58
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Weikum ER, Liu X, Ortlund EA. The nuclear receptor superfamily: A structural perspective. Protein Sci 2019; 27:1876-1892. [PMID: 30109749 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a family of transcription factors that regulate numerous physiological processes such as metabolism, reproduction, inflammation, as well as the circadian rhythm. NRs sense changes in lipid metabolite levels to drive differential gene expression, producing distinct physiologic effects. This is an allosteric process whereby binding a cognate ligand and specific DNA sequences drives the recruitment of diverse transcriptional co-regulators at chromatin and ultimately transactivation or transrepression of target genes. Dysregulation of NR signaling leads to various malignances, metabolic disorders, and inflammatory disease. Given their important role in physiology and ability to respond to small lipophilic ligands, NRs have emerged as valuable therapeutic targets. Here, we summarize and discuss the recent progress on understanding the complex mechanism of action of NRs, primarily from a structural perspective. Finally, we suggest future studies to improve our understanding of NR signaling and better design drugs by integrating multiple structural and biophysical approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Weikum
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, 30322, Georgia
| | - Xu Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, 30322, Georgia
| | - Eric A Ortlund
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, 30322, Georgia
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59
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Liu B, Zhang TN, Knight JK, Goodwin JE. The Glucocorticoid Receptor in Cardiovascular Health and Disease. Cells 2019; 8:cells8101227. [PMID: 31601045 PMCID: PMC6829609 DOI: 10.3390/cells8101227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The glucocorticoid receptor is a member of the nuclear receptor family that controls many distinct gene networks, governing various aspects of development, metabolism, inflammation, and the stress response, as well as other key biological processes in the cardiovascular system. Recently, research in both animal models and humans has begun to unravel the profound complexity of glucocorticoid signaling and convincingly demonstrates that the glucocorticoid receptor has direct effects on the heart and vessels in vivo and in vitro. This research has contributed directly to improving therapeutic strategies in human disease. The glucocorticoid receptor is activated either by the endogenous steroid hormone cortisol or by exogenous glucocorticoids and acts within the cardiovascular system via both genomic and non-genomic pathways. Polymorphisms of the glucocorticoid receptor are also reported to influence the progress and prognosis of cardiovascular disease. In this review, we provide an update on glucocorticoid signaling and highlight the critical role of this signaling in both physiological and pathological conditions of the cardiovascular system. With increasing in-depth understanding of glucocorticoid signaling, the future is promising for the development of targeted glucocorticoid treatments and improved clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
- Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Tie-Ning Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
- Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China.
| | - Jessica K Knight
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
- Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Julie E Goodwin
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
- Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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60
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Koning ASCAM, Buurstede JC, van Weert LTCM, Meijer OC. Glucocorticoid and Mineralocorticoid Receptors in the Brain: A Transcriptional Perspective. J Endocr Soc 2019; 3:1917-1930. [PMID: 31598572 PMCID: PMC6777400 DOI: 10.1210/js.2019-00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adrenal glucocorticoid hormones are crucial for maintenance of homeostasis and adaptation to stress. They act via the mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs)-members of the family of nuclear receptors. MRs and GRs can mediate distinct, sometimes opposite, effects of glucocorticoids. Both receptor types can mediate nongenomic steroid effects, but they are best understood as ligand-activated transcription factors. MR and GR protein structure is similar; the receptors can form heterodimers on the DNA at glucocorticoid response elements (GREs), and they share a number of target genes. The transcriptional basis for opposite effects on cellular physiology remains largely unknown, in particular with respect to MR-selective gene transcription. In this review, we discuss proven and potential mechanisms of transcriptional specificity for MRs and GRs. These include unique GR binding to "negative GREs," direct binding to other transcription factors, and binding to specific DNA sequences in conjunction with other transcription factors, as is the case for MRs and NeuroD proteins in the brain. MR- and GR-specific effects may also depend on specific interactions with transcriptional coregulators, downstream mediators of transcriptional receptor activity. Current data suggest that the relative importance of these mechanisms depends on the tissue and physiological context. Insight into these processes may not only allow a better understanding of homeostatic regulation but also the development of drugs that target specific aspects of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Sophie C A M Koning
- Einthoven Laboratory and Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, RC Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Jacobus C Buurstede
- Einthoven Laboratory and Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, RC Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Lisa T C M van Weert
- Einthoven Laboratory and Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, RC Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Einthoven Laboratory and Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, RC Leiden, Netherlands
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61
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Sasse SK, Gruca M, Allen MA, Kadiyala V, Song T, Gally F, Gupta A, Pufall MA, Dowell RD, Gerber AN. Nascent transcript analysis of glucocorticoid crosstalk with TNF defines primary and cooperative inflammatory repression. Genome Res 2019; 29:1753-1765. [PMID: 31519741 PMCID: PMC6836729 DOI: 10.1101/gr.248187.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1, also known as GR) binds to specific DNA sequences and directly induces transcription of anti-inflammatory genes that contribute to cytokine repression, frequently in cooperation with NF-kB. Whether inflammatory repression also occurs through local interactions between GR and inflammatory gene regulatory elements has been controversial. Here, using global run-on sequencing (GRO-seq) in human airway epithelial cells, we show that glucocorticoid signaling represses transcription within 10 min. Many repressed regulatory regions reside within “hyper-ChIPable” genomic regions that are subject to dynamic, yet nonspecific, interactions with some antibodies. When this artifact was accounted for, we determined that transcriptional repression does not require local GR occupancy. Instead, widespread transcriptional induction through canonical GR binding sites is associated with reciprocal repression of distal TNF-regulated enhancers through a chromatin-dependent process, as evidenced by chromatin accessibility and motif displacement analysis. Simultaneously, transcriptional induction of key anti-inflammatory effectors is decoupled from primary repression through cooperation between GR and NF-kB at a subset of regulatory regions. Thus, glucocorticoids exert bimodal restraints on inflammation characterized by rapid primary transcriptional repression without local GR occupancy and secondary anti-inflammatory effects resulting from transcriptional cooperation between GR and NF-kB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Sasse
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA
| | - Margaret Gruca
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Mary A Allen
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Vineela Kadiyala
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA
| | - Tengyao Song
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA
| | - Fabienne Gally
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA
| | - Arnav Gupta
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Miles A Pufall
- Department of Biochemistry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
| | - Robin D Dowell
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.,Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.,Computer Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Anthony N Gerber
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA.,Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
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62
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Louw A. GR Dimerization and the Impact of GR Dimerization on GR Protein Stability and Half-Life. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1693. [PMID: 31379877 PMCID: PMC6653659 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacologically, glucocorticoids, which mediate their effects via the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), are a most effective therapy for inflammatory diseases despite the fact that chronic use causes side-effects and acquired GC resistance. The design of drugs with fewer side-effects and less potential for the development of resistance is therefore considered crucial for improved therapy. Dimerization of the GR is an integral step in glucocorticoid signaling and has been identified as a possible molecular site to target for drug development of anti-inflammatory drugs with an improved therapeutic index. Most of the current understanding regarding the role of GR dimerization in GC signaling derives for dimerization deficient mutants, although the role of ligands biased toward monomerization has also been described. Even though designing for loss of dimerization has mostly been applied for reduction of side-effect profile, designing for loss of dimerization may also be a fruitful strategy for the development of GC drugs with less potential to develop GC resistance. GC-induced resistance affects up to 30% of users and is due to a reduction in the GR functional pool. Several molecular mechanisms of GC-mediated reductions in GR pool have been described, one of which is the autologous down-regulation of GR density by the ubiquitin-proteasome-system (UPS). Loss of GR dimerization prevents autologous down-regulation of the receptor through modulation of interactions with components of the UPS and post-translational modifications (PTMs), such as phosphorylation, which prime the GR for degradation. Rational design of conformationally biased ligands that select for a monomeric GR conformation, which increases GC sensitivity through improving GR protein stability and increasing half-life, may be a productive avenue to explore. However, potential drawbacks to this approach should be considered as well as the advantages and disadvantages in chronic vs. acute treatment regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Louw
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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63
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Timmermans S, Souffriau J, Libert C. A General Introduction to Glucocorticoid Biology. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1545. [PMID: 31333672 PMCID: PMC6621919 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 283] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroid hormones widely used for the treatment of inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. To exert their broad physiological and therapeutic effects, GCs bind to the GC receptor (GR) which belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors. Despite their success, GCs are hindered by the occurrence of side effects and glucocorticoid resistance (GCR). Increased knowledge on GC and GR biology together with a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the GC side effects and GCR are necessary for improved GC therapy development. We here provide a general overview on the current insights in GC biology with a focus on GC synthesis, regulation and physiology, role in inflammation inhibition, and on GR function and plasticity. Furthermore, novel and selective therapeutic strategies are proposed based on recently recognized distinct molecular mechanisms of the GR. We will explain the SEDIGRAM concept, which was launched based on our research results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Timmermans
- Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jolien Souffriau
- Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Claude Libert
- Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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64
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Pierce JL, Ding KH, Xu J, Sharma AK, Yu K, Del Mazo Arbona N, Rodriguez-Santos Z, Bernard P, Bollag WB, Johnson MH, Hamrick MW, Begun DL, Shi XM, Isales CM, McGee-Lawrence ME. The glucocorticoid receptor in osteoprogenitors regulates bone mass and marrow fat. J Endocrinol 2019; 243:JOE-19-0230.R1. [PMID: 31370004 PMCID: PMC6938567 DOI: 10.1530/joe-19-0230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Excess fat within bone marrow is associated with lower bone density. Metabolic stressors such as chronic caloric restriction (CR) can exacerbate marrow adiposity, and increased glucocorticoid signaling and adrenergic signaling are implicated in this phenotype. The current study tested the role of glucocorticoid signaling in CR-induced stress by conditionally deleting the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in bone marrow osteoprogenitors (Osx1-Cre) of mice subjected to CR and ad libitum diets. Conditional knockout of the GR (GR-CKO) reduced cortical and trabecular bone mass as compared to wildtype (WT) mice under both ad libitum and CR conditions. No interaction was detected between genotype and diet, suggesting that the GR is not required for CR-induced skeletal changes. The lower bone mass in GR-CKO mice, and the further suppression of bone by CR, resulted from suppressed bone formation. Interestingly, treatment with the -adrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol mildly but selectively improved metrics of cortical bone mass in GR-CKO mice during CR, suggesting interaction between adrenergic and glucocorticoid signaling pathways that affects cortical bone. GR-CKO mice dramatically increased marrow fat under both ad libitum and CR-fed conditions, and surprisingly propranolol treatment was unable to rescue CR-induced marrow fat in either WT or GR-CKO mice. Additionally, serum corticosterone levels were selectively elevated in GR-CKO mice with CR, suggesting the possibility of bone-hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal crosstalk during metabolic stress. This work highlights the complexities of glucocorticoid and β-adrenergic signaling in stress-induced changes in bone mass, and the importance of GR function in suppressing marrow adipogenesis while maintaining healthy bone mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Pierce
- J Pierce, Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, United States
| | - Ke-Hong Ding
- K Ding, Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, United States
| | - Jianrui Xu
- J Xu, Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, United States
| | - Anuj K Sharma
- A Sharma, Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, United States
| | - Kanglun Yu
- K Yu, Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, United States
| | | | | | - Paul Bernard
- P Bernard, Pediatric Endocrine Specialists of Georgia, Pediatric Endocrine Specialists of Georgia, Duluth, United States
| | - Wendy B Bollag
- W Bollag, Department of Physiology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
| | - Maribeth H Johnson
- M Johnson, Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, United States
| | - Mark W Hamrick
- M Hamrick, Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, United States
| | - Dana L Begun
- D Begun, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Xing M Shi
- X Ming Shi, Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, United States
| | - Carlos M Isales
- C Isales, Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, 30912, United States
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65
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Segawa R, Shiraki M, Sudo S, Shigeeda K, Saito T, Mizuno N, Moriya T, Yonezawa T, Woo JT, Hiratsuka M, Hirasawa N. A chalcone derivative suppresses the induction of TSLP in mice and human keratinocytes and attenuates OVA-induced antibody production in mice. Eur J Pharmacol 2019; 851:52-62. [PMID: 30753864 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a key epithelial-derived factor that aggravates allergic diseases. Therefore, TSLP inhibitors are candidate compounds for the treatment of allergic diseases. Previously, we reported that KCMH-1, a mouse keratinocyte cell line, constitutively produces TSLP. In this study, we tried to identify inhibitors of TSLP by screening 2169 compounds in KCMH-1 cells and found one such chalcone derivative (code no. 16D10). 16D10 inhibited TSLP expression and TSLP promoter activation in HaCaT cells, a human keratinocyte cell line. Although nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) is a key transcription factor for the induction of TSLP, 16D10 did not inhibit the activation pathway of NF-κB, such as degradation of inhibitor of κB (IκB) and p65 nuclear translocation. 16D10 activated the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)-nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) system, although this system was not involved in the inhibitory effect of 16D10. 16D10 also inhibited TSLP production in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or ovalbumin (OVA)-induced air-pouch-type inflammation model. Further, repeated 16D10 administration diminished serum immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgE concentration in an OVA-induced air-pouch-type sensitization model. Taken together, these results indicate that 16D10 is an inhibitor of TSLP production and has an anti-allergic effect. This inhibitory effect is independent of the activation of NF-κB and the Keap1-Nrf2 system. Therefore, 16D10 could be a new type of candidate drug for allergic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Segawa
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapy of Life-Style Related Diseases, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Mika Shiraki
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapy of Life-Style Related Diseases, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Shiori Sudo
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapy of Life-Style Related Diseases, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Kenichi Shigeeda
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapy of Life-Style Related Diseases, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Taiji Saito
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapy of Life-Style Related Diseases, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Natsumi Mizuno
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapy of Life-Style Related Diseases, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Takahiro Moriya
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapy of Life-Style Related Diseases, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Miyagi, Japan; Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ohu University, Koriyama 963-8611, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Takayuki Yonezawa
- Research Institute for Biological Functions, Chubu University, Kasugai 487-8501, Aichi, Japan
| | - Je-Tae Woo
- Department of Biological Chemistry, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chubu University, Kasugai 487-8501, Aichi, Japan
| | - Masahiro Hiratsuka
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapy of Life-Style Related Diseases, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Noriyasu Hirasawa
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapy of Life-Style Related Diseases, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Miyagi, Japan.
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66
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Franco LM, Gadkari M, Howe KN, Sun J, Kardava L, Kumar P, Kumari S, Hu Z, Fraser IDC, Moir S, Tsang JS, Germain RN. Immune regulation by glucocorticoids can be linked to cell type-dependent transcriptional responses. J Exp Med 2019; 216:384-406. [PMID: 30674564 PMCID: PMC6363437 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20180595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A functional genomics approach uncovers previously undescribed cell type–dependent responses that can be linked to the immunoregulatory actions of glucocorticoids in humans. Glucocorticoids remain the most widely used immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs, yet substantial gaps exist in our understanding of glucocorticoid-mediated immunoregulation. To address this, we generated a pathway-level map of the transcriptional effects of glucocorticoids on nine primary human cell types. This analysis revealed that the response to glucocorticoids is highly cell type dependent, in terms of the individual genes and pathways affected, as well as the magnitude and direction of transcriptional regulation. Based on these data and given their importance in autoimmunity, we conducted functional studies with B cells. We found that glucocorticoids impair upstream B cell receptor and Toll-like receptor 7 signaling, reduce transcriptional output from the three immunoglobulin loci, and promote significant up-regulation of the genes encoding the immunomodulatory cytokine IL-10 and the terminal-differentiation factor BLIMP-1. These findings provide new mechanistic understanding of glucocorticoid action and emphasize the multifactorial, cell-specific effects of these drugs, with potential implications for designing more selective immunoregulatory therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M Franco
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Manasi Gadkari
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Katherine N Howe
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Jing Sun
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Lela Kardava
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Parag Kumar
- Clinical Pharmacokinetics Research Unit, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Sangeeta Kumari
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Zonghui Hu
- Biostatistics Research Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Iain D C Fraser
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Susan Moir
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - John S Tsang
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.,Center for Human Immunology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Ronald N Germain
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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Viho EMG, Buurstede JC, Mahfouz A, Koorneef LL, van Weert LTCM, Houtman R, Hunt HJ, Kroon J, Meijer OC. Corticosteroid Action in the Brain: The Potential of Selective Receptor Modulation. Neuroendocrinology 2019; 109:266-276. [PMID: 30884490 PMCID: PMC6878852 DOI: 10.1159/000499659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid hormones have important effects on brain function in the context of acute and chronic stress. Many of these are mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). GR has transcriptional activity which is highly context-specific and differs between tissues and even between cell types. The outcome of GR-mediated transcription depends on the interactome of associated coregulators. Selective GR modulators (SGRMs) are a class of GR ligands that can be used to activate only a subset of GR-coregulator interactions, thereby giving the possibility to induce a unique combination of agonistic and antagonistic GR properties. We describe SGRM action in animal models of brain function and pathology, and argue for their utility as molecular filters, to characterize context-specific GR interactome and transcriptional activity that are responsible for particular glucocorticoid-driven effects in cognitive processes such as memory consolidation. The ultimate objective of this approach is to identify molecular processes that are responsible for adaptive and maladaptive effects of glucocorticoids in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M G Viho
- Division of Endocrinology, Department Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jacobus C Buurstede
- Division of Endocrinology, Department Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ahmed Mahfouz
- Delft Bioinformatics Laboratory, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
- Leiden Computational Biology Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa L Koorneef
- Division of Endocrinology, Department Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa T C M van Weert
- Division of Endocrinology, Department Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Hazel J Hunt
- Corcept Therapeutics, Menlo Park, California, USA
| | - Jan Kroon
- Division of Endocrinology, Department Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Division of Endocrinology, Department Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands,
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands,
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68
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Keizer VIP, Coppola S, Houtsmuller AB, Geverts B, van Royen ME, Schmidt T, Schaaf MJM. Repetitive switching between DNA binding modes enables target finding by the glucocorticoid receptor. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:jcs.217455. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.217455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor mobility is a determining factor in the regulation of gene expression. Here, we have studied the intranuclear dynamics of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and single-molecule microscopy. First we have described the dynamic states in which the GR occurs. Subsequently we have analyzed the transitions between these states using a continuous time Markov chain model, and functionally investigated these states by making specific mutations in the DNA-binding domain. This analysis revealed that the GR diffuses freely through the nucleus, and once it leaves this free diffusion state it most often enters a repetitive switching mode. In this mode it alternates between slow diffusion as a result of brief nonspecific DNA binding events, and a state of stable binding to specific DNA target sites. This repetitive switching mechanism results in a compact searching strategy which facilitates finding DNA target sites by the GR.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefano Coppola
- Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan B. Houtsmuller
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus Optical Imaging Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bart Geverts
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus Optical Imaging Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martin E. van Royen
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus Optical Imaging Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Schmidt
- Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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69
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Frank F, Okafor CD, Ortlund EA. The first crystal structure of a DNA-free nuclear receptor DNA binding domain sheds light on DNA-driven allostery in the glucocorticoid receptor. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13497. [PMID: 30201977 PMCID: PMC6131172 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31812-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a steroid hormone receptor of the nuclear receptor family that regulates gene expression in response to glucocorticoid hormone signaling. Interaction with specific GR DNA binding sequences causes conformational changes in the GR DNA binding domain (DBD) that result in recruitment of specific sets of co-regulators that determine transcriptional outcomes. We have solved the crystal structure of GR DBD in its DNA-free state, the first such crystal structure from any nuclear receptor. In contrast to previous NMR structures, this crystal structure reveals that free GR DBD adopts a conformation very similar to DNA-bound states. The lever arm region is the most variable element in the free GR DBD. Molecular dynamics of the free GR DBD as well as GR DBD bound to activating and repressive DNA elements confirm lever arm flexibility in all functional states. Cluster analysis of lever arm conformations during simulations shows that DNA binding and dimerization cause a reduction in the number of conformations sampled by the lever arm. These results reveal that DNA binding and dimerization drive conformational selection in the GR DBD lever arm region and show how DNA allosterically controls GR structure and dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipp Frank
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - C Denise Okafor
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Eric A Ortlund
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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70
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Defining the role of glucocorticoids in inflammation. Clin Sci (Lond) 2018; 132:1529-1543. [DOI: 10.1042/cs20171505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
An established body of knowledge and clinical practice has argued in favor of the use of glucocorticoids in various chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. However, the very well-known adverse effects associated with their treatment hampers continuation of therapy with glucocorticoids. Analyses of the molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of glucocorticoids have led to the discovery of several mediators that add complexity and diversity to the puzzling world of these hormones and anti-inflammatory drugs. Such mediators hold great promise as alternative pharmacologic tools to be used as anti-inflammatory drugs with the same properties as glucocorticoids, but avoiding their metabolic side effects. This review summarizes findings about the molecular targets and mediators of glucocorticoid function.
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71
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Huang Z, Liu H, Zhang X, Wen G, Zhu C, Zhao Y, Niu W, Qin Y, Chen H, Bai C, Liu G. Transcriptomic analysis of lung tissues after hUC-MSCs and FTY720 treatment of lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mouse models. Int Immunopharmacol 2018; 63:26-34. [PMID: 30064040 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2018.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) refer to acute and progressive hypoxic respiratory failure caused by non-cardiogenic factors, which is a common condition occurring in critically ill patients with widespread pulmonary inflammation. Use of a single medication or target cannot treat ALI/ARDS. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and FTY720, as an analogue of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), can mitigate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory lung injury. In this investigation, the clinical efficacy of MSCs alone, FTY720 alone, and a MSC and FTY720 combination in the treatment of LPS-induced lung injury was evaluated in mouse models. The experimental results demonstrated that both MSCs and FTY720 alleviate lung injuries in mice. The combined application of MSCs and FTY720 yielded higher clinical efficacy in mitigating lung injuries compared with use of MSCs or FTY720 alone. Transcriptomic analysis was performed using an Agilent gene expression chip. By analyzing the differences in gene expression of lung tissues between treated and non-treated ALI/ARDS mice, Gene Ontology and Pathway terms related to ALI/ARDS treatment were identified. Moreover, the target genes which might play a pivotal role in the treatment of ALI/ARDS were also detected, thus providing a theoretical basis for multi-target or multi-drug combined treatment of ALI/ARDS and lay a solid foundation for clinical treatment of ALI/ARDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihao Huang
- Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, People's Republic of China; Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Huiying Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Diseases, 307 Hospital of PLA, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Xia Zhang
- Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, People's Republic of China; Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoxia Wen
- Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, People's Republic of China; Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Zhu
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanbin Zhao
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenkai Niu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Diseases, 307 Hospital of PLA, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanhong Qin
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Diseases, 307 Hospital of PLA, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Huipeng Chen
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Changqing Bai
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Diseases, 307 Hospital of PLA, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China.
| | - Gang Liu
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China.
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72
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Ballegeer M, Van Looveren K, Timmermans S, Eggermont M, Vandevyver S, Thery F, Dendoncker K, Souffriau J, Vandewalle J, Van Wyngene L, De Rycke R, Takahashi N, Vandenabeele P, Tuckermann J, Reichardt HM, Impens F, Beyaert R, De Bosscher K, Vandenbroucke RE, Libert C. Glucocorticoid receptor dimers control intestinal STAT1 and TNF-induced inflammation in mice. J Clin Invest 2018; 128:3265-3279. [PMID: 29746256 DOI: 10.1172/jci96636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
TNF is an important mediator in numerous inflammatory diseases, e.g., in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). In IBD, acute increases in TNF production can lead to disease flares. Glucocorticoids (GCs), which are steroids that bind and activate the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), are able to protect animals and humans against acute TNF-induced inflammatory symptoms. Mice with a poor transcriptional response of GR dimer-dependent target genes were studied in a model of TNF-induced lethal inflammation. In contrast to the GRWT/WT mice, these GRdim/dim mice displayed a substantial increase in TNF sensitivity and a lack of protection by the GC dexamethasone (DEX). Unchallenged GRdim/dim mice had a strong IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) signature, along with STAT1 upregulation and phosphorylation. This ISG signature was gut specific and, based on our studies with antibiotics, depended on the gut microbiota. GR dimers directly bound to short DNA sequences in the STAT1 promoter known as inverted repeat negative GRE (IR-nGRE) elements. Poor control of STAT1 in GRdim/dim mice led to failure to repress ISG genes, resulting in excessive necroptosis induction by TNF. Our findings support a critical interplay among gut microbiota, IFNs, necroptosis, and GR in both the basal response to acute inflammatory challenges and pharmacological intervention by GCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies Ballegeer
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kelly Van Looveren
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steven Timmermans
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Melanie Eggermont
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sofie Vandevyver
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Fabien Thery
- VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Karen Dendoncker
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jolien Souffriau
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jolien Vandewalle
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lise Van Wyngene
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Riet De Rycke
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nozomi Takahashi
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Vandenabeele
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jan Tuckermann
- Institute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Holger M Reichardt
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University of Göttingen Medical School, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Francis Impens
- VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,VIB Proteomics Core, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Rudi Beyaert
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Karolien De Bosscher
- Department of Biochemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Receptor Research Laboratories, Nuclear Receptor Lab, Medical Biotechnology Center, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Roosmarijn E Vandenbroucke
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Claude Libert
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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73
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Zhao X, Hwang DY, Kao HY. The Role of Glucocorticoid Receptors in Podocytes and Nephrotic Syndrome. NUCLEAR RECEPTOR RESEARCH 2018; 5. [PMID: 30417008 PMCID: PMC6224173 DOI: 10.11131/2018/101323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid receptor (GC), a founding member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, is a glucocorticoid-activated transcription factor that regulates gene expression and controls the development and homeostasis of human podocytes. Synthetic glucocorticoids are the standard treatment regimens for proteinuria (protein in the urine) and nephrotic syndrome (NS) caused by kidney diseases. These include minimal change disease (MCD), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), membranous nephropathy (MN) and immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) or subsequent complications due to diabetes mellitus or HIV infection. However, unwanted side effects and steroid-resistance remain major issues for their long-term use. Furthermore, the mechanism by which glucocorticoids elicit their renoprotective activity in podocyte and glomeruli is poorly understood. Podocytes are highly differentiated epithelial cells that contribute to the integrity of kidney glomerular filtration barrier. Injury or loss of podocytes leads to proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome. Recent studies in multiple experimental models have begun to explore the mechanism of GC action in podocytes. This review will discuss progress in our understanding of the role of glucocorticoid receptor and glucocorticoids in podocyte physiology and their renoprotective activity in nephrotic syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - Daw-Yang Hwang
- Division of Nephrology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Ying Kao
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
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74
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Hudson WH, Vera IMSD, Nwachukwu JC, Weikum ER, Herbst AG, Yang Q, Bain DL, Nettles KW, Kojetin DJ, Ortlund EA. Cryptic glucocorticoid receptor-binding sites pervade genomic NF-κB response elements. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1337. [PMID: 29626214 PMCID: PMC5889392 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03780-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are potent repressors of NF-κB activity, making them a preferred choice for treatment of inflammation-driven conditions. Despite the widespread use of GCs in the clinic, current models are inadequate to explain the role of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) within this critical signaling pathway. GR binding directly to NF-κB itself-tethering in a DNA binding-independent manner-represents the standing model of how GCs inhibit NF-κB-driven transcription. We demonstrate that direct binding of GR to genomic NF-κB response elements (κBREs) mediates GR-driven repression of inflammatory gene expression. We report five crystal structures and solution NMR data of GR DBD-κBRE complexes, which reveal that GR recognizes a cryptic response element between the binding footprints of NF-κB subunits within κBREs. These cryptic sequences exhibit high sequence and functional conservation, suggesting that GR binding to κBREs is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of controlling the inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H Hudson
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
- Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics, Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
| | - Ian Mitchelle S de Vera
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida, 33458, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, 63104, USA
| | - Jerome C Nwachukwu
- Department of Integrated Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida, 33458, USA
| | - Emily R Weikum
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
- Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics, Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
| | - Austin G Herbst
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
| | - Qin Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - David L Bain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Kendall W Nettles
- Department of Integrated Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida, 33458, USA
| | - Douglas J Kojetin
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida, 33458, USA
| | - Eric A Ortlund
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA.
- Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics, Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA.
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75
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Ripa L, Edman K, Dearman M, Edenro G, Hendrickx R, Ullah V, Chang HF, Lepistö M, Chapman D, Geschwindner S, Wissler L, Svanberg P, Lawitz K, Malmberg J, Nikitidis A, Olsson RI, Bird J, Llinas A, Hegelund-Myrbäck T, Berger M, Thorne P, Harrison R, Köhler C, Drmota T. Discovery of a Novel Oral Glucocorticoid Receptor Modulator (AZD9567) with Improved Side Effect Profile. J Med Chem 2018; 61:1785-1799. [PMID: 29424542 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic glucocorticoids (GC) are essential for the treatment of a broad range of inflammatory diseases. However, their use is limited by target related adverse effects on, e.g., glucose homeostasis and bone metabolism. Starting from a nonsteroidal GR ligand (4) that is a full agonist in reporter gene assays, we exploited key functional triggers within the receptor, generating a range of structurally diverse partial agonists. Of these, only a narrow subset exhibited full anti-inflammatory efficacy and a significantly reduced impact on adverse effect markers in human cell assays compared to prednisolone. This led to the discovery of AZD9567 (15) with excellent in vivo efficacy when dosed orally in a rat model of joint inflammation. Compound 15 is currently being evaluated in clinical trials comparing the efficacy and side effect markers with those of prednisolone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Ripa
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Karl Edman
- Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 431 83 , Sweden
| | - Matthew Dearman
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Goran Edenro
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Ramon Hendrickx
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Victoria Ullah
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Hui-Fang Chang
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Matti Lepistö
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Dave Chapman
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Stefan Geschwindner
- Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 431 83 , Sweden
| | - Lisa Wissler
- Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 431 83 , Sweden
| | - Petter Svanberg
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | | | - Jesper Malmberg
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Antonios Nikitidis
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Roine I Olsson
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - James Bird
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Antoni Llinas
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Tove Hegelund-Myrbäck
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
| | - Markus Berger
- Medicinal Chemistry Berlin, Drug Discovery, Pharmaceuticals , Bayer AG , Berlin 13353 , Germany
| | - Philip Thorne
- AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood , Bakewell Road , Loughborough , Leicestershire LE11 5RH , U.K
| | - Richard Harrison
- AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood , Bakewell Road , Loughborough , Leicestershire LE11 5RH , U.K
| | - Christian Köhler
- Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 431 83 , Sweden
| | - Tomas Drmota
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca Gothenburg , Pepparedsleden 1 , Mölndal 43183 , Sweden
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76
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Vandewalle J, Luypaert A, De Bosscher K, Libert C. Therapeutic Mechanisms of Glucocorticoids. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2018; 29:42-54. [PMID: 29162310 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2017.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 294] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) have been used clinically for decades as potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents. Nevertheless, their use is severely hampered by the risk of developing side effects and the occurrence of glucocorticoid resistance (GCR). Therefore, efforts to understand the complex mechanisms underlying GC function and GCR are ongoing. The goal is to generate new glucocorticoid receptor (GR) ligands that can dissociate anti-inflammatory from metabolic side effects and/or overcome GCR. In this review paper we discuss recent insights into GR-mediated actions in GCR and novel therapeutic strategies for acute and chronic inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolien Vandewalle
- Center for Inflammation Research, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Astrid Luypaert
- Receptor Research Laboratories, Nuclear Receptor Lab, VIB-University of Ghent (UGent) Center for Medical Biotechnology, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biochemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Karolien De Bosscher
- Receptor Research Laboratories, Nuclear Receptor Lab, VIB-University of Ghent (UGent) Center for Medical Biotechnology, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biochemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Claude Libert
- Center for Inflammation Research, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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77
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Liberman AC, Budziñski ML, Sokn C, Gobbini RP, Steininger A, Arzt E. Regulatory and Mechanistic Actions of Glucocorticoids on T and Inflammatory Cells. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:235. [PMID: 29867767 PMCID: PMC5964134 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) play an important role in regulating the inflammatory and immune response and have been used since decades to treat various inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Fine-tuning the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity is instrumental in the search for novel therapeutic strategies aimed to reduce pathological signaling and restoring homeostasis. Despite the primary anti-inflammatory actions of GCs, there are studies suggesting that under certain conditions GCs may also exert pro-inflammatory responses. For these reasons the understanding of the GR basic mechanisms of action on different immune cells in the periphery (e.g., macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, and T cells) and in the brain (microglia) contexts, that we review in this chapter, is a continuous matter of interest and may reveal novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of immune and inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. Liberman
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA) – CONICET – Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maia L. Budziñski
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA) – CONICET – Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Clara Sokn
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA) – CONICET – Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Romina Paula Gobbini
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA) – CONICET – Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Anja Steininger
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA) – CONICET – Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eduardo Arzt
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA) – CONICET – Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Eduardo Arzt,
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78
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Synovial and systemic pharmacokinetics (PK) of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) following intra-articular (IA) injection of an extended-release microsphere-based formulation (FX006) or standard crystalline suspension in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2018; 26:34-42. [PMID: 29024802 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2017.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Intra-articular (IA) corticosteroids relieve osteoarthritis (OA) pain, but rapid absorption into systemic circulation may limit efficacy and produce untoward effects. We compared the pharmacokinetics (PK) of IA triamcinolone acetonide (TA) delivered as an extended-release, microsphere-based formulation (FX006) vs a crystalline suspension (TAcs) in knee OA patients. METHOD This Phase 2 open-label study sequentially enrolled 81 patients who received a single IA injection of FX006 (5 mL, 32 mg delivered dose, N = 63) or TAcs (1 mL, 40 mg, N = 18). Synovial fluid (SF) aspiration was attempted in each patient at baseline and one post-IA-injection visit (FX006: Week 1, Week 6, Week 12, Week 16 or Week 20; TAcs: Week 6). Blood was collected at baseline and multiple post-injection times. TA concentrations (validated LC-MS/MS, geometric means (GMs)), PK (non-compartmental analysis models), and adverse events (AEs) were assessed. RESULTS SF TA concentrations following FX006 were quantifiable through Week 12 (pg/mL: 231,328.9 at Week 1; 3590.0 at Week 6; 290.6 at Week 12); post-TAcs, only two of eight patients had quantifiable SF TA at Week 6 (7.7 pg/mL). Following FX006, plasma TA gradually increased to peak (836.4 pg/mL) over 24 h and slowly declined to <110 pg/mL over Weeks 12-20; following TAcs, plasma TA peaked at 4 h (9628.8 pg/mL), decreased to 4991.1 pg/mL at 24 h, and was 149.4 pg/mL at Week 6, the last post-treatment time point assessed. AEs were similar between groups. CONCLUSION In knee OA patients, microsphere-based TA delivery via a single IA injection prolonged SF joint residency, diminished peak plasma levels, and thus reduced systemic TA exposure relative to TAcs.
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79
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Weikum ER, de Vera IMS, Nwachukwu JC, Hudson WH, Nettles KW, Kojetin DJ, Ortlund EA. Tethering not required: the glucocorticoid receptor binds directly to activator protein-1 recognition motifs to repress inflammatory genes. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:8596-8608. [PMID: 28591827 PMCID: PMC5737878 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a ligand-regulated transcription factor that controls the expression of extensive gene networks, driving both up- and down-regulation. GR utilizes multiple DNA-binding-dependent and -independent mechanisms to achieve context-specific transcriptional outcomes. The DNA-binding-independent mechanism involves tethering of GR to the pro-inflammatory transcription factor activator protein-1 (AP-1) through protein-protein interactions. This mechanism has served as the predominant model of GR-mediated transrepression of inflammatory genes. However, ChIP-seq data have consistently shown GR to occupy AP-1 response elements (TREs), even in the absence of AP-1. Therefore, the current model is insufficient to explain GR action at these sites. Here, we show that GR regulates a subset of inflammatory genes in a DNA-binding-dependent manner. Using structural biology and biochemical approaches, we show that GR binds directly to TREs via sequence-specific contacts to a GR-binding sequence (GBS) half-site found embedded within the TRE motif. Furthermore, we show that GR-mediated transrepression observed at TRE sites to be DNA-binding-dependent. This represents a paradigm shift in the field, showing that GR uses multiple mechanisms to suppress inflammatory gene expression. This work further expands our understanding of this complex multifaceted transcription factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Weikum
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Ian Mitchelle S de Vera
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Jerome C Nwachukwu
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - William H Hudson
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Kendall W Nettles
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Douglas J Kojetin
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.,Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Eric A Ortlund
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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80
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Racchi M, Buoso E, Ronfani M, Serafini MM, Galasso M, Lanni C, Corsini E. Role of Hormones in the Regulation of RACK1 Expression as a Signaling Checkpoint in Immunosenescence. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18071453. [PMID: 28684670 PMCID: PMC5535944 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18071453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunosenescence defines the decline in immune function that occurs with aging. This has been associated, at least in part, with defective cellular signaling via protein kinase C (PKC) signal transduction pathways. Our data suggest reduced PKC activation and consequently reduced response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation and cytokine release. The lack of PKC activation seems to be dependent on the reduced expression of the receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1), a scaffolding protein involved in multiple signal transduction cascades. The defective expression of RACK1 may be dependent on age-related alteration of the balance between the adrenal hormones cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA levels reduce with aging, while cortisol levels remain substantially unchanged, resulting in an overall increase in the cortisol:DHEA ratio. These hormonal changes are significant in the context of RACK1 expression and signaling function because DHEA administration in vivo and in vitro can restore the levels of RACK1 and the function of the PKC signaling cascade in aged animals and in human cells. In contrast, there is evidence that cortisol can act as a negative transcriptional regulator of RACK1 expression. The rack1 gene promoter contains a glucocorticoid responsive element that is also involved in androgen signaling. Furthermore DHEA may have an indirect influence on the post-transcriptional regulation of the functions of the glucocorticoid receptor. In this review, we will examine the role of the hormonal regulation of rack1 gene transcriptional regulation and the consequences on signaling and function in immune cells and immunosenescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Racchi
- Department of Drug Sciences, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12/14, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - Erica Buoso
- Department of Drug Sciences, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12/14, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - Melania Ronfani
- Department of Drug Sciences, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12/14, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - Melania M Serafini
- Department of Drug Sciences, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12/14, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
- Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia, Piazza della Vittoria 15, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - Marilisa Galasso
- Department of Drug Sciences, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12/14, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - Cristina Lanni
- Department of Drug Sciences, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12/14, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Corsini
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy.
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81
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Cohen DM, Steger DJ. Nuclear Receptor Function through Genomics: Lessons from the Glucocorticoid Receptor. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2017; 28:531-540. [PMID: 28495406 PMCID: PMC5505657 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Unlocking the therapeutic potential of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) has motivated a search for small molecules that selectively modulate its ability to activate or repress gene transcription. Recently, breakthrough studies in the field of genomics have reinvigorated debate over longstanding transcriptional models explaining how GR controls tissue-specific gene expression. Here, we highlight these genomic studies with the dual goals of advancing understanding of nuclear receptor-mediated transcription and stimulating thought on the development of anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive ligands for GR that have reduced harmful effects on metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Cohen
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, and The Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David J Steger
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, and The Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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82
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Transcriptional regulation of RACK1 and modulation of its expression: Role of steroid hormones and significance in health and aging. Cell Signal 2017; 35:264-271. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2017.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Revised: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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83
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Bekhbat M, Rowson SA, Neigh GN. Checks and balances: The glucocorticoid receptor and NFĸB in good times and bad. Front Neuroendocrinol 2017; 46:15-31. [PMID: 28502781 PMCID: PMC5523465 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Mutual regulation and balance between the endocrine and immune systems facilitate an organism's stress response and are impaired following chronic stress or prolonged immune activation. Concurrent alterations in stress physiology and immunity are increasingly recognized as contributing factors to several stress-linked neuropsychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Accumulating evidence suggests that impaired balance and crosstalk between the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB) - effectors of the stress and immune axes, respectively - may play a key role in mediating the harmful effects of chronic stress on mood and behavior. Here, we first review the molecular mechanisms of GR and NFκB interactions in health, then describe potential shifts in the GR-NFκB dynamics in chronic stress conditions within the context of brain circuitry relevant to neuropsychiatric diseases. Furthermore, we discuss developmental influences and sex differences in the regulation of these two transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandakh Bekhbat
- Emory University, Graduate Division of Biological Sciences, Neuroscience Graduate Program, United States
| | - Sydney A Rowson
- Emory University, Graduate Division of Biological Sciences, Molecular and Systems Pharmacology Graduate Studies Program, United States
| | - Gretchen N Neigh
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, United States.
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84
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Buoso E, Galasso M, Ronfani M, Papale A, Galbiati V, Eberini I, Marinovich M, Racchi M, Corsini E. The scaffold protein RACK1 is a target of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with important implication in immunity. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2017; 325:37-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2017.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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85
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Klaßen C, Karabinskaya A, Dejager L, Vettorazzi S, Van Moorleghem J, Lühder F, Meijsing SH, Tuckermann JP, Bohnenberger H, Libert C, Reichardt HM. Airway Epithelial Cells Are Crucial Targets of Glucocorticoids in a Mouse Model of Allergic Asthma. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 199:48-61. [PMID: 28515280 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although glucocorticoids (GCs) are a mainstay in the clinical management of asthma, the target cells that mediate their therapeutic effects are unknown. Contrary to our expectation, we found that GC receptor (GR) expression in immune cells was dispensable for successful therapy of allergic airway inflammation (AAI) with dexamethasone. Instead, GC treatment was compromised in mice expressing a defective GR in the nonhematopoietic compartment or selectively lacking the GR in airway epithelial cells. Further, we found that an intact GR dimerization interface was a prerequisite for the suppression of AAI and airway hyperresponsiveness by GCs. Our observation that the ability of dexamethasone to modulate gene expression in airway epithelial cells coincided with its potency to resolve AAI supports a crucial role for transcriptional regulation by the GR in this cell type. Taken together, we identified an unknown mode of GC action in the treatment of allergic asthma that might help to develop more specific therapies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Klaßen
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anna Karabinskaya
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lien Dejager
- Inflammation Research Center, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, University of Ghent, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sabine Vettorazzi
- Institute of Comparative Endocrinology, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Fred Lühder
- Institute for Multiple Sclerosis Research and Neuroimmunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Jan P Tuckermann
- Institute of Comparative Endocrinology, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Hanibal Bohnenberger
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claude Libert
- Inflammation Research Center, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, University of Ghent, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Holger M Reichardt
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
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86
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Pooley JR, Flynn BP, Grøntved L, Baek S, Guertin MJ, Kershaw YM, Birnie MT, Pellatt A, Rivers CA, Schiltz RL, Hager GL, Lightman SL, Conway-Campbell BL. Genome-Wide Identification of Basic Helix-Loop-Helix and NF-1 Motifs Underlying GR Binding Sites in Male Rat Hippocampus. Endocrinology 2017; 158:1486-1501. [PMID: 28200020 PMCID: PMC5460825 DOI: 10.1210/en.2016-1929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids regulate hippocampal function in part by modulating gene expression through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). GR binding is highly cell type specific, directed to accessible chromatin regions established during tissue differentiation. Distinct classes of GR binding sites are dependent on the activity of additional signal-activated transcription factors that prime chromatin toward context-specific organization. We hypothesized a stress context dependency for GR binding in hippocampus as a consequence of rapidly induced stress mediators priming chromatin accessibility. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing to interrogate GR binding, we found no effect of restraint stress context on GR binding, although analysis of sequences underlying GR binding sites revealed mechanistic detail for hippocampal GR function. We note enrichment of GR binding sites proximal to genes linked to structural and organizational roles, an absence of major tethering partners for GRs, and little or no evidence for binding at negative glucocorticoid response elements. A basic helix-loop-helix motif closely resembling a NeuroD1 or Olig2 binding site was found underlying a subset of GR binding sites and is proposed as a candidate lineage-determining transcription factor directing hippocampal chromatin access for GRs. Of our GR binding sites, 54% additionally contained half-sites for nuclear factor (NF)-1 that we propose as a collaborative or general transcription factor involved in hippocampal GR function. Our findings imply a dose-dependent and context-independent action of GRs in the hippocampus. Alterations in the expression or activity of NF-1/basic helix-loop-helix factors may play an as yet undetermined role in glucocorticoid-related disease susceptibility and outcome by altering GR access to hippocampal binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R. Pooley
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrated Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Ben P. Flynn
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrated Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Lars Grøntved
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Songjoon Baek
- Laboratory for Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Michael J. Guertin
- University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
| | - Yvonne M. Kershaw
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrated Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew T. Birnie
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrated Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Annie Pellatt
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrated Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline A. Rivers
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrated Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - R. Louis Schiltz
- Laboratory for Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Gordon L. Hager
- Laboratory for Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Stafford L. Lightman
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrated Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Becky L. Conway-Campbell
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrated Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
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87
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Weikum ER, Okafor CD, D'Agostino EH, Colucci JK, Ortlund EA. Structural Analysis of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Ligand-Binding Domain in Complex with Triamcinolone Acetonide and a Fragment of the Atypical Coregulator, Small Heterodimer Partner. Mol Pharmacol 2017; 92:12-21. [PMID: 28396564 DOI: 10.1124/mol.117.108506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) dexamethasone, mometasone furoate, and triamcinolone acetonide are pharmaceutical mainstays to treat chronic inflammatory diseases. These drugs bind to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a ligand-activated transcription factor and member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. The GR is widely recognized as a therapeutic target for its ability to counter proinflammatory signaling. Despite the popularity of GCs in the clinic, long-term use leads to numerous side effects, driving the need for new and improved drugs with less off-target pharmacology. X-ray crystal structures have played an important role in the drug-design process, permitting the characterization of robust structure-function relationships. However, steroid receptor ligand-binding domains (LBDs) are inherently unstable, and their crystallization requires extensive mutagenesis to enhance expression and crystallization. Here, we use an ancestral variant of GR as a tool to generate a high-resolution crystal structure of GR in complex with the potent glucocorticoid triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and a fragment of the small heterodimer partner (SHP). Using structural analysis, molecular dynamics, and biochemistry, we show that TA increases intramolecular contacts within the LBD to drive affinity and enhance stability of the receptor-ligand complex. These data support the emerging theme that ligand-induced receptor conformational dynamics at the mouth of the pocket play a major role in steroid receptor activation. This work also represents the first GR structure in complex with SHP, which has been suggested to play a role in modulating hepatic GR function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Weikum
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - C Denise Okafor
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Emma H D'Agostino
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jennifer K Colucci
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Eric A Ortlund
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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88
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Newton R, Shah S, Altonsy MO, Gerber AN. Glucocorticoid and cytokine crosstalk: Feedback, feedforward, and co-regulatory interactions determine repression or resistance. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:7163-7172. [PMID: 28283576 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r117.777318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory signals induce feedback and feedforward systems that provide temporal control. Although glucocorticoids can repress inflammatory gene expression, glucocorticoid receptor recruitment increases expression of negative feedback and feedforward regulators, including the phosphatase, DUSP1, the ubiquitin-modifying enzyme, TNFAIP3, or the mRNA-destabilizing protein, ZFP36. Moreover, glucocorticoid receptor cooperativity with factors, including nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), may enhance regulator expression to promote repression. Conversely, MAPKs, which are inhibited by glucocorticoids, provide feedforward control to limit expression of the transcription factor IRF1, and the chemokine, CXCL10. We propose that modulation of feedback and feedforward control can determine repression or resistance of inflammatory gene expression toglucocorticoid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Newton
- From the Airways Inflammation Research Group, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada,
| | - Suharsh Shah
- the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, University of Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Mohammed O Altonsy
- From the Airways Inflammation Research Group, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada.,the Faculty of Science, Sohag University, Sohag 82524, Egypt, and
| | - Antony N Gerber
- the Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado 80206
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89
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Weikum ER, Knuesel MT, Ortlund EA, Yamamoto KR. Glucocorticoid receptor control of transcription: precision and plasticity via allostery. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2017; 18:159-174. [PMID: 28053348 PMCID: PMC6257982 DOI: 10.1038/nrm.2016.152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 338] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a constitutively expressed transcriptional regulatory factor (TRF) that controls many distinct gene networks, each uniquely determined by particular cellular and physiological contexts. The precision of GR-mediated responses seems to depend on combinatorial, context-specific assembly of GR-nucleated transcription regulatory complexes at genomic response elements. In turn, evidence suggests that context-driven plasticity is conferred by the integration of multiple signals, each serving as an allosteric effector of GR conformation, a key determinant of regulatory complex composition and activity. This structural and mechanistic perspective on GR regulatory specificity is likely to extend to other eukaryotic TRFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Weikum
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Matthew T Knuesel
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, 600 16th Street, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Eric A Ortlund
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Keith R Yamamoto
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, 600 16th Street, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
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90
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Scheschowitsch K, Leite JA, Assreuy J. New Insights in Glucocorticoid Receptor Signaling-More Than Just a Ligand-Binding Receptor. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8:16. [PMID: 28220107 PMCID: PMC5292432 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical use of classical glucocorticoids (GC) is narrowed by the many side effects it causes and the resistance to GC observed in some diseases. Since the great majority of GC effects depend on the activation of a glucocorticoid receptor (GR), many research groups had focused to better understand the signaling pathways involving those receptors. Transgenic animal models and genetic modifications of the receptor brought a huge insight into GR mechanisms of action. This in turn opened a new window for the search of selective GR modulators that ideally may have agonistic and antagonistic combined effects and activate one specific signaling pathway, inducing mostly transrepression or transactivation mechanisms. Another important research field concerns to posttranslational modifications that affect the GR and consequently also affect its signaling and function. In this mini review, we discuss many of those aspects of GR signaling, as well as findings like the ligand-independent activation of GR, which add another layer of complexity in GR signaling pathways. Although several recent data have been added to the GR field, much work has yet to be done, especially to find out the biological relevance of those alternative GR signaling pathways. Improving the knowledge about alternative GR signaling pathways and understanding how these pathways intercommunicate and in which situations they are relevant might help to develop new strategies to take benefit of it and to improve GC or other compounds efficacy causing minimal side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Scheschowitsch
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Jacqueline Alves Leite
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jamil Assreuy
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Jamil Assreuy,
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91
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Abstract
Glucocorticoid hormones (GC) regulate essential physiological functions including energy homeostasis, embryonic and postembryonic development, and the stress response. From the biomedical perspective, GC have garnered a tremendous amount of attention as highly potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive medications indispensable in the clinic. GC signal through the GC receptor (GR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor whose structure, DNA binding, and the molecular partners that it employs to regulate transcription have been under intense investigation for decades. In particular, next-generation sequencing-based approaches have revolutionized the field by introducing a unified platform for a simultaneous genome-wide analysis of cellular activities at the level of RNA production, binding of transcription factors to DNA and RNA, and chromatin landscape and topology. Here we describe fundamental concepts of GC/GR function as established through traditional molecular and in vivo approaches and focus on the novel insights of GC biology that have emerged over the last 10 years from the rapidly expanding arsenal of system-wide genomic methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Sacta
- Hospital for Special Surgery, The David Rosensweig Genomics Center, New York, NY 10021; .,Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering MD/PhD program, New York, NY 10021
| | - Yurii Chinenov
- Hospital for Special Surgery, The David Rosensweig Genomics Center, New York, NY 10021;
| | - Inez Rogatsky
- Hospital for Special Surgery, The David Rosensweig Genomics Center, New York, NY 10021; .,Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering MD/PhD program, New York, NY 10021
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92
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Newton R, Giembycz MA. Understanding how long-acting β 2 -adrenoceptor agonists enhance the clinical efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids in asthma - an update. Br J Pharmacol 2016; 173:3405-3430. [PMID: 27646470 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In moderate-to-severe asthma, adding an inhaled long-acting β2 -adenoceptor agonist (LABA) to an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) provides better disease control than simply increasing the dose of ICS. Acting on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR, gene NR3C1), ICSs promote anti-inflammatory/anti-asthma gene expression. In vitro, LABAs synergistically enhance the maximal expression of many glucocorticoid-induced genes. Other genes, including dual-specificity phosphatase 1(DUSP1) in human airways smooth muscle (ASM) and epithelial cells, are up-regulated additively by both drug classes. Synergy may also occur for LABA-induced genes, as illustrated by the bronchoprotective gene, regulator of G-protein signalling 2 (RGS2) in ASM. Such effects cannot be produced by either drug alone and may explain the therapeutic efficacy of ICS/LABA combination therapies. While the molecular basis of synergy remains unclear, mechanistic interpretations must accommodate gene-specific regulation. We explore the concept that each glucocorticoid-induced gene is an independent signal transducer optimally activated by a specific, ligand-directed, GR conformation. In addition to explaining partial agonism, this realization provides opportunities to identify novel GR ligands that exhibit gene expression bias. Translating this into improved therapeutic ratios requires consideration of GR density in target tissues and further understanding of gene function. Similarly, the ability of a LABA to interact with a glucocorticoid may be suboptimal due to low β2 -adrenoceptor density or biased β2 -adrenoceptor signalling. Strategies to overcome these limitations include adding-on a phosphodiesterase inhibitor and using agonists of other Gs-coupled receptors. In all cases, the rational design of ICS/LABA, and derivative, combination therapies requires functional knowledge of induced (and repressed) genes for therapeutic benefit to be maximized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Newton
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Airways Inflammation Research Group, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mark A Giembycz
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Airways Inflammation Research Group, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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93
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Abstract
Glucocorticoids are primary stress hormones that regulate a variety of physiologic processes and are essential for life. The actions of glucocorticoids are predominantly mediated through the classic glucocorticoid receptor (GR). GRs are expressed throughout the body, but there is considerable heterogeneity in glucocorticoid sensitivity and biologic responses across tissues. The conventional belief that glucocorticoids act through a single GR protein has changed dramatically with the discovery of a diverse collection of receptor isoforms. This article provides an overview of the molecular mechanisms that regulate glucocorticoid actions, highlights the dynamic nature of hormone signaling, and discusses the molecular properties of the GR isoforms.
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94
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Schöne S, Jurk M, Helabad MB, Dror I, Lebars I, Kieffer B, Imhof P, Rohs R, Vingron M, Thomas-Chollier M, Meijsing SH. Sequences flanking the core-binding site modulate glucocorticoid receptor structure and activity. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12621. [PMID: 27581526 PMCID: PMC5025757 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binds as a homodimer to genomic response elements, which have particular sequence and shape characteristics. Here we show that the nucleotides directly flanking the core-binding site, differ depending on the strength of GR-dependent activation of nearby genes. Our study indicates that these flanking nucleotides change the three-dimensional structure of the DNA-binding site, the DNA-binding domain of GR and the quaternary structure of the dimeric complex. Functional studies in a defined genomic context show that sequence-induced changes in GR activity cannot be explained by differences in GR occupancy. Rather, mutating the dimerization interface mitigates DNA-induced changes in both activity and structure, arguing for a role of DNA-induced structural changes in modulating GR activity. Together, our study shows that DNA sequence identity of genomic binding sites modulates GR activity downstream of binding, which may play a role in achieving regulatory specificity towards individual target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Schöne
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Department of Computational Molecular Biology, Ihnestrasse 63-73, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Marcel Jurk
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Department of Computational Molecular Biology, Ihnestrasse 63-73, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | | | - Iris Dror
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Isabelle Lebars
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Biologie Structurale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104/Institute National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964/Université de Strasbourg, 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Bruno Kieffer
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Biologie Structurale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104/Institute National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964/Université de Strasbourg, 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Petra Imhof
- Institute of Theoretical Physics, Free University Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Remo Rohs
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Martin Vingron
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Department of Computational Molecular Biology, Ihnestrasse 63-73, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Morgane Thomas-Chollier
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U1024, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 8197, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Sebastiaan H Meijsing
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Department of Computational Molecular Biology, Ihnestrasse 63-73, Berlin 14195, Germany
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95
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Abstract
Cofactor squelching is the term used to describe competition between transcription factors (TFs) for a limited amount of cofactors in a cell with the functional consequence that TFs in a given cell interfere with the activity of each other. Since cofactor squelching was proposed based primarily on reporter assays some 30 years ago, it has remained controversial, and the idea that it could be a physiologically relevant mechanism for transcriptional repression has not received much support. However, recent genome-wide studies have demonstrated that signal-dependent TFs are very often absent from the enhancers that are acutely repressed by those signals, which is consistent with an indirect mechanism of repression such as squelching. Here we review these recent studies in the light of the classical studies of cofactor squelching, and we discuss how TF cooperativity in so-called hotspots and super-enhancers may sensitize these to cofactor squelching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Søren Fisker Schmidt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Bjørk Ditlev Larsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Anne Loft
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Susanne Mandrup
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense M, Denmark
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96
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Banuelos J, Lu NZ. A gradient of glucocorticoid sensitivity among helper T cell cytokines. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2016; 31:27-35. [PMID: 27235091 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2016.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Helper T (Th) cells secret specific cytokines that promote immune responses whereas glucocorticoids limit the extent of immune responses by inhibiting cytokine secretion and other functions of Th cells. However, glucocorticoid resistance develops in subgroups of patients with Th cell-driven diseases such as asthma and Crohn's disease. Recent evidence supports that Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells have distinct glucocorticoid sensitivity. Th1 cells are sensitive to glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis and cytokine suppression while Th2 cells are sensitive to the latter but not the former and Th17 cells are resistant to both. This gradient of glucocorticoid sensitivity of Th cells corresponds to the glucocorticoid sensitivity of the diseases they underlie. We identify the mechanisms contributing to distinct glucocorticoid sensitivity of Th cells and their cytokines in the literature, as this information is useful to improve treatment strategies for glucocorticoid resistant immunological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus Banuelos
- Division of Allergy-Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States, United States
| | - Nicholas Z Lu
- Division of Allergy-Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States, United States.
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97
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High activity of the stress promoter contributes to susceptibility to stress in the tree shrew. Sci Rep 2016; 6:24905. [PMID: 27125313 PMCID: PMC4850381 DOI: 10.1038/srep24905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is increasingly present in everyday life in our fast-paced society and involved in the pathogenesis of many psychiatric diseases. Corticotrophin-releasing-hormone (CRH) plays a pivotal role in regulating the stress responses. The tree shrews are highly vulnerable to stress which makes them the promising animal models for studying stress responses. However, the mechanisms underlying their high stress-susceptibility remained unknown. Here we confirmed that cortisol was the dominate corticosteroid in tree shrew and was significantly increased after acute stress. Our study showed that the function of tree shrew CRH - hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis was nearly identical to human that contributed little to their hyper-responsiveness to stress. Using CRH transcriptional regulation analysis we discovered a peculiar active glucocorticoid receptor response element (aGRE) site within the tree shrew CRH promoter, which continued to recruit co-activators including SRC-1 (steroid receptor co-activator-1) to promote CRH transcription under basal or forskolin/dexamethasone treatment conditions. Basal CRH mRNA increased when the aGRE was knocked into the CRH promoter in human HeLa cells using CAS9/CRISPR. The aGRE functioned critically to form the "Stress promoter" that contributed to the higher CRH expression and susceptibility to stress. These findings implicated novel molecular bases of the stress-related diseases in specific populations.
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98
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Abstract
The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is responsible for stimulation of adrenal corticosteroids in response to stress. Negative feedback control by corticosteroids limits pituitary secretion of corticotropin, ACTH, and hypothalamic secretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone, CRH, and vasopressin, AVP, resulting in regulation of both basal and stress-induced ACTH secretion. The negative feedback effect of corticosteroids occurs by action of corticosteroids at mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) and/or glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) located in multiple sites in the brain and in the pituitary. The mechanisms of negative feedback vary according to the receptor type and location within the brain-hypothalmo-pituitary axis. A very rapid nongenomic action has been demonstrated for GR action on CRH neurons in the hypothalamus, and somewhat slower nongenomic effects are observed in the pituitary or other brain sites mediated by GR and/or MR. Corticosteroids also have genomic actions, including repression of the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene in the pituitary and CRH and AVP genes in the hypothalamus. The rapid effect inhibits stimulated secretion, but requires a rapidly rising corticosteroid concentration. The more delayed inhibitory effect on stimulated secretion is dependent on the intensity of the stimulus and the magnitude of the corticosteroid feedback signal, but also the neuroanatomical pathways responsible for activating the HPA. The pathways for activation of some stressors may partially bypass hypothalamic feedback sites at the CRH neuron, whereas others may not involve forebrain sites; therefore, some physiological stressors may override or bypass negative feedback, and other psychological stressors may facilitate responses to subsequent stress.
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99
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Zhi X, Zhou XE, Melcher K, Xu HE. Structures and regulation of non-X orphan nuclear receptors: A retinoid hypothesis. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2016; 157:27-40. [PMID: 26159912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2015.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Revised: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear receptors are defined as a family of ligand regulated transcription factors [1-6]. While this definition reflects that ligand binding is a key property of nuclear receptors, it is still a heated subject of debate if all the nuclear receptors (48 human members) can bind ligands (ligands referred here to both physiological and synthetic ligands). Recent studies in nuclear receptor structure biology and pharmacology have undoubtedly increased our knowledge of nuclear receptor functions and their regulation. As a result, they point to new avenues for the discovery and development of nuclear receptor regulators, including nuclear receptor ligands. Here we review the recent literature on orphan nuclear receptor structural analysis and ligand identification, particularly on the orphan nuclear receptors that do not heterodimerize with retinoid X receptors, which we term as non-X orphan receptors. We also propose a speculative "retinoid hypothesis" for a subset of non-X orphan nuclear receptors, which we hope to help shed light on orphan nuclear receptor biology and drug discovery. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Orphan Nuclear Receptors'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyong Zhi
- Laboratory of Structural Sciences, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Ave., N.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA; Autophagy Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - X Edward Zhou
- Laboratory of Structural Sciences, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Ave., N.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Karsten Melcher
- Laboratory of Structural Sciences, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Ave., N.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - H Eric Xu
- Laboratory of Structural Sciences, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Ave., N.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA; VARI-SIMM Center, Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of MateriaMedica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
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