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Pofi R, Caratti G, Ray DW, Tomlinson JW. Treating the Side Effects of Exogenous Glucocorticoids; Can We Separate the Good From the Bad? Endocr Rev 2023; 44:975-1011. [PMID: 37253115 PMCID: PMC10638606 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnad016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
It is estimated that 2% to 3% of the population are currently prescribed systemic or topical glucocorticoid treatment. The potent anti-inflammatory action of glucocorticoids to deliver therapeutic benefit is not in doubt. However, the side effects associated with their use, including central weight gain, hypertension, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and osteoporosis, often collectively termed iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome, are associated with a significant health and economic burden. The precise cellular mechanisms underpinning the differential action of glucocorticoids to drive the desirable and undesirable effects are still not completely understood. Faced with the unmet clinical need to limit glucocorticoid-induced adverse effects alongside ensuring the preservation of anti-inflammatory actions, several strategies have been pursued. The coprescription of existing licensed drugs to treat incident adverse effects can be effective, but data examining the prevention of adverse effects are limited. Novel selective glucocorticoid receptor agonists and selective glucocorticoid receptor modulators have been designed that aim to specifically and selectively activate anti-inflammatory responses based upon their interaction with the glucocorticoid receptor. Several of these compounds are currently in clinical trials to evaluate their efficacy. More recently, strategies exploiting tissue-specific glucocorticoid metabolism through the isoforms of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase has shown early potential, although data from clinical trials are limited. The aim of any treatment is to maximize benefit while minimizing risk, and within this review we define the adverse effect profile associated with glucocorticoid use and evaluate current and developing strategies that aim to limit side effects but preserve desirable therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Pofi
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LE, UK
| | - Giorgio Caratti
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LE, UK
| | - David W Ray
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LE, UK
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Oxford Kavli Centre for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford OX37LE, UK
| | - Jeremy W Tomlinson
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LE, UK
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Kerkvliet CP, Truong TH, Ostrander JH, Lange CA. Stress sensing within the breast tumor microenvironment: how glucocorticoid receptors live in the moment. Essays Biochem 2021; 65:971-983. [PMID: 34132331 PMCID: PMC8627466 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20200165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The classification and treatment of breast cancer is largely defined by the expression of steroid hormone receptors (HRs), namely estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), and gene amplification/overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). More recently, studies of androgen receptor (AR), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) have revealed that targeting these related HRs may be a promising strategy for a more personalized approach to the treatment of specific subtypes of HR+ breast cancer. For example, GR expression is associated with a good prognosis in ER+ breast cancer, but predicts poor prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). GR, like ER, PRs, and AR, is a ligand-activated transcription factor, but also has significant ligand-independent signaling activities. GR transcriptional activity is classically regulated by circulating glucocorticoids (GCs; ligand-dependent). Recent studies demonstrate that GR transcriptional activity is also regulated by a variety of cellular stress stimuli that input to GR Ser134 phosphorylation via rapid activation of the p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway (ligand-independent). Furthermore, ligand-independent GR activation promotes feedforward signaling loops that mediate sustained activation of stress signaling pathways to drive advanced cancer biology (i.e. migration, invasion, chemoresistance, survival, and cellular growth). In this review, we will focus on the role of GR as a key sensor and mediator of physiologic and tumor microenvironment (TME)-derived cellular stress signaling in TNBC and discuss how targeting GR and/or associated signaling pathways may provide a strategy to inhibit deadly TNBC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thu H. Truong
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, U.S.A
| | - Julie Hanson Ostrander
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, U.S.A
- Department of Medicine (Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, U.S.A
| | - Carol A. Lange
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, U.S.A
- Department of Medicine (Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, U.S.A
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, U.S.A
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Cazzola M, Rogliani P, Calzetta L, Matera MG. Pharmacogenomic Response of Inhaled Corticosteroids for the Treatment of Asthma: Considerations for Therapy. PHARMACOGENOMICS & PERSONALIZED MEDICINE 2020; 13:261-271. [PMID: 32801837 PMCID: PMC7414974 DOI: 10.2147/pgpm.s231471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There is a large interindividual variability in response to ICSs in asthma. About 70% of the variance in ICS response is likely due at least partially to genetically determined characteristics of target genes. In this article, we examine the effects on the ICS response of gene variations in the corticosteroid pathway, and in the pharmacokinetics of corticosteroids, and also those outside the corticosteroid pathway, which have the potential to influence corticosteroid activity. Although the available evidence indicates that responses to ICSs in asthma are influenced by different genetic variants, there are still deep uncertainties as to whether a real association between these genetic variants and corticosteroid response could also possibly exist because there are difficulties in reproducing pharmacogenetic findings. This explains at least partly the insufficient use of pharmacogenomic data when treating asthmatic patients, which creates a real limitation to the proper use of ICSs in an era of precision medicine that links the right patient to the right treatment. Knowing and dealing with the genetic factors that influence the therapeutic ICS response is a fundamental condition for prescribing the right dose of ICS to the right patient at the right time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Cazzola
- Unit of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Rogliani
- Unit of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Luigino Calzetta
- Unit of Respiratory Disease and Lung Function, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Maria Gabriella Matera
- Unit of Pharmacology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
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Leventhal SM, Lim D, Green TL, Cantrell AE, Cho K, Greenhalgh DG. Uncovering a multitude of human glucocorticoid receptor variants: an expansive survey of a single gene. BMC Genet 2019; 20:16. [PMID: 30736733 PMCID: PMC6368729 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-019-0718-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Glucocorticoids are commonly used in the clinical setting for their potent anti-inflammatory effects; however, significant variations in response to treatment have been demonstrated. Although the underlying mechanisms have yet to be fully understood, this variable response may be a result of alterations in human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) expression and function. In addition to hGRα, the biologically active isoform, a screening of current databases and publications revealed five alternative splice isoforms and hundreds of variants that have been reported to date. Many of these changes in the hGR-coding gene, NR3C1, have been linked to pathophysiology. However, many studies focus on evaluating hGR expression in vitro or detecting previously reported variants. Results In this study, blood from healthy volunteers, burn and asthma patients, as well as from peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from leukoreduced donor whole blood, were screened for NR3C1 isoforms. We identified more than 1500 variants, including an additional 21 unique splice isoforms which contain 15 new cryptic exons. A dynamic database, named the Universal hGR (UhGR), was created to annotate and visualize the variants. Conclusion This identification of naturally occurring and stress-induced hGR isoforms, as well as the establishment of an hGR-specific database, may reveal new patterns or suggest areas of interest that will lead to the improved understanding of the human stress response system. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12863-019-0718-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey M Leventhal
- Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Debora Lim
- Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Tajia L Green
- Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Anna E Cantrell
- Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Kiho Cho
- Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, Sacramento, California, USA. .,Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.
| | - David G Greenhalgh
- Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, Sacramento, California, USA. .,Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.
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Paragliola RM, Papi G, Pontecorvi A, Corsello SM. Treatment with Synthetic Glucocorticoids and the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E2201. [PMID: 29053578 PMCID: PMC5666882 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18102201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic glucocorticoid (GC) treatment represents a widely-prescribed therapy for several diseases in consideration of both anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activity but, if used at high doses for prolonged periods, it can determine the systemic effects characteristic of Cushing's syndrome. In addition to signs and symptoms of hypercortisolism, patients on chronic GC therapy are at risk to develop tertiary adrenal insufficiency after the reduction or the withdrawal of corticosteroids or during acute stress. This effect is mediated by the negative feedback loop on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which mainly involves corticotropin-release hormone (CRH), which represents the most important driver of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release. In fact, after withdrawal of chronic GC treatment, reactivation of CRH secretion is a necessary prerequisite for the recovery of the HPA axis. In addition to the well-known factors which regulate the degree of inhibition of the HPA during synthetic GC therapy (type of compound, method of administration, cumulative dose, duration of the treatment, concomitant drugs which can increase the bioavailability of GCs), there is a considerable variation in individual physiology, probably related to different genetic profiles which regulate GC receptor activity. This may represent an interesting basis for possible future research fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Maria Paragliola
- Unit of Endocrinology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo "A. Gemelli" 8, I-00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Giampaolo Papi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo "A. Gemelli" 8, I-00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Alfredo Pontecorvi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo "A. Gemelli" 8, I-00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Maria Corsello
- Unit of Endocrinology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo "A. Gemelli" 8, I-00168 Rome, Italy.
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