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Peel A, Rushworth RL, Torpy DJ. Novel agents to treat adrenal insufficiency: findings of preclinical and early clinical trials. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2024; 33:115-126. [PMID: 38284211 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2024.2311207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Adrenal insufficiency currently affects over 300/million population, with higher morbidity and mortality compared to the general population. Current glucocorticoid replacement therapy is limited by a lack of reliable biomarkers to guide dosing, inter-patient variation in metabolism and narrow therapeutic window. Increased morbidity and mortality may relate to unappreciated under- or over-exposure to glucocorticoids and impaired cortisol circadian rhythm. New agents are required to emulate physiological cortisol secretion and individualize glucocorticoid dosing. AREAS COVERED History of glucocorticoid therapy, current limitations, and novel chronotherapeutic glucocorticoid delivery mechanisms. Literature search incorporated searches of PubMed and Embase utilizing terms such as adrenal insufficiency, Chronocort, Plenadren, continuous subcutaneous hydrocortisone infusion (CHSI), and glucocorticoid receptor modulator. EXPERT OPINION Glucocorticoid chronotherapy is necessary to optimize glucocorticoid exposure and minimize complications. Current oral chronotherapeutics provide improved dosing functionality, but are modifiable only in specific increments and cannot accommodate ultradian cortisol variation. Current data show improvement in quality of life but not morbidity or mortality outcomes. CHSI has significant potential for individualized glucocorticoid dosing, but would require a suitable biomarker of glucocorticoid adequacy to be implementable. Avenues for future research include determining a glucocorticoid sufficiency biomarker, development of interstitial or systemic cortisol monitoring, or development of glucocorticoid receptor modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Peel
- Endocrine and Metabolic Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - R Louise Rushworth
- School of Medicine, Sydney, The University of Notre Dame, Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - David J Torpy
- Endocrine and Metabolic Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
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Vandermosten L, Prenen F, Fogang B, Dagneau de Richecour P, Knoops S, Donkeu CJ, Nguefack CDP, Taguebue JV, Ndombo PK, Ghesquière B, Ayong L, Van den Steen PE. Glucocorticoid dysfunction in children with severe malaria. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1187196. [PMID: 37492570 PMCID: PMC10364055 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1187196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Malaria remains a widespread health problem with a huge burden. Severe or complicated malaria is highly lethal and encompasses a variety of pathological processes, including immune activation, inflammation, and dysmetabolism. Previously, we showed that adrenal hormones, in particular glucocorticoids (GCs), play critical roles to maintain disease tolerance during Plasmodium infection in mice. Here, GC responses were studied in Cameroon in children with uncomplicated malaria (UM), severe malaria (SM) and asymptomatic controls (AC). Methods To determine the sensitivity of leukocytes to GC signaling on a transcriptional level, we measured the ex vivo induction of glucocorticoid induced leucine zipper (GILZ) and FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5) by GCs in human and murine leukocytes. Targeted tracer metabolomics on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was performed to detect metabolic changes induced by GCs. Results Total cortisol levels increased in patients with clinical malaria compared to AC and were higher in the SM versus UM group, while cortisol binding globulin levels were unchanged and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels were heterogeneous. Induction of both GILZ and FKBP5 by GCs was significantly reduced in patients with clinical malaria compared to AC and in malaria-infected mice compared to uninfected controls. Increased activity in the pentose phosphate pathway was found in the patients, but this was not affected by ex vivo stimulation with physiological levels of hydrocortisone. Interestingly, hydrocortisone induced increased levels of cAMP in AC, but not in clinical malaria patients. Discussion Altogether, this study shows that patients with SM have increased cortisol levels, but also a decreased sensitivity to GCs, which may clearly contribute to the severity of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leen Vandermosten
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fran Prenen
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Balotin Fogang
- Malaria Research Unit, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Pauline Dagneau de Richecour
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sofie Knoops
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Paul Koki Ndombo
- Mother and Child Center, Chantal Biya Foundation, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Bart Ghesquière
- Metabolomics Expertise Center, Center for Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
- Metabolomics Expertise Center, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lawrence Ayong
- Malaria Research Unit, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Philippe E. Van den Steen
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Pihlström S, Määttä K, Öhman T, Mäkitie RE, Aronen M, Varjosalo M, Mäkitie O, Pekkinen M. A multi-omics study to characterize the transdifferentiation of human dermal fibroblasts to osteoblast-like cells. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1032026. [PMID: 36465561 PMCID: PMC9714459 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1032026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Various skeletal disorders display defects in osteoblast development and function. An in vitro model can help to understand underlying disease mechanisms. Currently, access to appropriate starting material for in vitro osteoblastic studies is limited. Native osteoblasts and their progenitors, the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, (MSCs) are problematic to isolate from affected patients and challenging to expand in vitro. Human dermal fibroblasts in vitro are a promising substitute source of cells. Method: We developed an in vitro culturing technique to transdifferentiate fibroblasts into osteoblast-like cells. We obtained human fibroblasts from forearm skin biopsy and differentiated them into osteoblast-like cells with ß-glycerophosphate, ascorbic acid, and dexamethasone treatment. Osteoblastic phenotype was confirmed by staining for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), calcium and phosphate deposits (Alizarin Red, Von Kossa) and by a multi-omics approach (transcriptomic, proteomic, and phosphoproteomic analyses). Result: After 14 days of treatment, both fibroblasts and MSCs (reference cells) stained positive for ALP together with a significant increase in bone specific ALP (p = 0.04 and 0.004, respectively) compared to untreated cells. At a later time point, both cell types deposited minerals, indicating mineralization. In addition, fibroblasts and MSCs showed elevated expression of several osteogenic genes (e.g. ALPL, RUNX2, BMPs and SMADs), and decreased expression of SOX9. Ingenuity Pathways Analysis of RNA sequencing data from fibroblasts and MSCs showed that the osteoarthritis pathway was activated in both cell types (p_adj. = 0.003 and 0.004, respectively). Discussion: These data indicate that our in vitro treatment induces osteoblast-like differentiation in fibroblasts and MSCs, producing an in vitro osteoblastic cell system. This culturing system provides an alternative tool for bone biology research and skeletal tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Pihlström
- Institute of Genetics, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kirsi Määttä
- Institute of Genetics, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tiina Öhman
- Institute of Biotechnology and Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Riikka E. Mäkitie
- Institute of Genetics, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mira Aronen
- Institute of Genetics, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Markku Varjosalo
- Institute of Biotechnology and Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Outi Mäkitie
- Institute of Genetics, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Minna Pekkinen
- Institute of Genetics, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Armignacco R, Jouinot A, Bouys L, Septier A, Lartigue T, Neou M, Gaspar C, Perlemoine K, Braun L, Riester A, Bonnet-Serrano F, Blanchard A, Amar L, Scaroni C, Ceccato F, Rossi GP, Williams TA, Larsen CK, Allassonnière S, Zennaro MC, Beuschlein F, Reincke M, Bertherat J, Assié G. Identification of glucocorticoid-related molecular signature by whole blood methylome analysis. Eur J Endocrinol 2022; 186:297-308. [PMID: 34914631 PMCID: PMC8789024 DOI: 10.1530/eje-21-0907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cushing's syndrome represents a state of excessive glucocorticoids related to glucocorticoid treatments or to endogenous hypercortisolism. Cushing's syndrome is associated with high morbidity, with significant inter-individual variability. Likewise, adrenal insufficiency is a life-threatening condition of cortisol deprivation. Currently, hormone assays contribute to identify Cushing's syndrome or adrenal insufficiency. However, no biomarker directly quantifies the biological glucocorticoid action. The aim of this study was to identify such markers. DESIGN We evaluated whole blood DNA methylome in 94 samples obtained from patients with different glucocorticoid states (Cushing's syndrome, eucortisolism, adrenal insufficiency). We used an independent cohort of 91 samples for validation. METHODS Leukocyte DNA was obtained from whole blood samples. Methylome was determined using the Illumina methylation chip array (~850 000 CpG sites). Both unsupervised (principal component analysis) and supervised (Limma) methods were used to explore methylome profiles. A Lasso-penalized regression was used to select optimal discriminating features. RESULTS Whole blood methylation profile was able to discriminate samples by their glucocorticoid status: glucocorticoid excess was associated with DNA hypomethylation, recovering within months after Cushing's syndrome correction. In Cushing's syndrome, an enrichment in hypomethylated CpG sites was observed in the region of FKBP5 gene locus. A methylation predictor of glucocorticoid excess was built on a training cohort and validated on two independent cohorts. Potential CpG sites associated with the risk for specific complications, such as glucocorticoid-related hypertension or osteoporosis, were identified, needing now to be confirmed on independent cohorts. CONCLUSIONS Whole blood DNA methylome is dynamically impacted by glucocorticoids. This biomarker could contribute to better assessment of glucocorticoid action beyond hormone assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Armignacco
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Paris, France
- Correspondence should be addressed to R Armignacco or G Assié; or
| | - Anne Jouinot
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Paris, France
| | - Lucas Bouys
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Paris, France
| | - Amandine Septier
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Lartigue
- ARAMIS Project-Team, Inria Paris, France
- CMAP, UMR 7641, CNRS, École polytechnique, I.P. Paris, France
| | - Mario Neou
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Paris, France
| | - Cassandra Gaspar
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMS Pass, Plateforme Post-génomique de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, P3S, Paris, France
| | - Karine Perlemoine
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Paris, France
| | - Leah Braun
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna Riester
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Fidéline Bonnet-Serrano
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Cochin, Service d’Hormonologie, Paris, France
| | - Anne Blanchard
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Centre d’Investigations Cliniques 9201, Paris, France
| | - Laurence Amar
- Université de Paris, PARCC, INSERM, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Unité Hypertension Artérielle, Paris, France
| | - Carla Scaroni
- UOC Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Medicina DIMED, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università di Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Filippo Ceccato
- UOC Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Medicina DIMED, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università di Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Gian Paolo Rossi
- Clinica dell’Ipertensione Arteriosa, Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Tracy Ann Williams
- Division of Internal Medicine and Hypertension Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | | | - Maria-Christina Zennaro
- Université de Paris, PARCC, INSERM, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Service de Génétique, Paris, France
| | - Felix Beuschlein
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Klinik für Endokrinologie, Diabetologie und Klinische Ernährung, UniversitätsSpital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Reincke
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Jérôme Bertherat
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Cochin, Service d’Endocrinologie, Center for Rare Adrenal Diseases, Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Assié
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Cochin, Service d’Endocrinologie, Center for Rare Adrenal Diseases, Paris, France
- Correspondence should be addressed to R Armignacco or G Assié; or
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