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Yan J, Fang L, Zhao Z, Su X, Xi M, Huang Y, Li J, Chang R, Zhang W, Qian Q, Wang Z, Wang H. Adolescent exposure to tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) induces reproductive toxicity in zebrafish through hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis disruption. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 953:176096. [PMID: 39260506 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2024] [Revised: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP), a prevalent organophosphorus flame retardant in aquatic environments, has raised significant concerns regarding its ecological risks. This study aims to explore the impacts of TCPP on the reproductive functions of zebrafish and delineate its gender-related toxic mechanisms. By assessing the effects on zebrafish of 10 mg/L TCPP exposure from 30 to 120 days post-fertilization (dpf), we thoroughly evaluated the reproductive capability and endocrine system alterations. Our findings indicated that TCPP exposure disrupted gender differentiation in zebrafish and markedly impaired their reproductive capacity, resulting in decreased egg laying and offspring development quality. Histological analyses of gonadal tissues showed an abnormal increase in immature oocytes in females and a reduction in mature sperm count and spermatogonial structure integrity in males, collectively leading to compromised embryo quality. Additionally, molecular docking results indicated that TCPP showed a strong affinity for estrogen receptors, and TCPP-treated zebrafish exhibited imbalanced sex hormones and increased estrogen receptor expression. Alterations in genes associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and activation of the steroidogenesis pathway suggested that TCPP targets the HPG axis to regulate sex hormone homeostasis. Tamoxifen (TAM), as a competitive inhibitor of estrogen, exhibited a biphasic effect, as evidenced by the counteraction of TCPP-induced effects in both male and female zebrafish after TAM addition. Overall, our study underscored the gender-dependent reproductive toxicity of TCPP exposure in zebrafish, characterized by diminished reproductive capacity and hormonal disturbances, likely due to interference in the HPG axis and steroidogenesis pathways. These findings emphasize the critical need to consider gender differences in chemical risk assessments for ecosystems and highlight the importance of understanding the mechanisms underlying the effects of chemical pollutants on the reproductive health of aquatic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Yan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Lu Fang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Zijia Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Xincong Su
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Miaocui Xi
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Yue Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Jiahang Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Runfeng Chang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Qiuhui Qian
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Zejun Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Huili Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China.
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Li S, Zhang S, Rensen PCN, Meijer OC, Kooijman S, Kroon J. Out-of-phase treatment with the synthetic glucocorticoid betamethasone disturbs glucose metabolism in mice. Life Sci 2024; 357:123080. [PMID: 39332486 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.123080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2024] [Revised: 09/11/2024] [Accepted: 09/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/29/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Endogenous glucocorticoid levels display a strong circadian rhythm, which is often not considered when synthetic glucocorticoids are prescribed as anti-inflammatory drugs. In this study we evaluated the effect timing of glucocorticoid administration, i.e. in-phase (administered when endogenous glucocorticoid levels are high) versus out-of-phase (administered when endogenous glucocorticoid levels are low). We investigated the synthetic glucocorticoid betamethasone - which is extensively used in the clinic - and monitored the development of common metabolic side effects in mice upon prolonged treatment, with a particular focus on glucose metabolism. METHODS Male and female C57BL/6J mice were treated with the synthetic glucocorticoid betamethasone in-phase and out-of-phase, and the development of metabolic side effects was monitored. RESULTS We observed that, compared with in-phase treatment, out-of-phase treatment with betamethasone results in hyperinsulinemia in both male and female C57BL/6J mice. We additionally found that out-of-phase betamethasone treatment strongly reduced insulin sensitivity as compared to in-phase administration during morning measurements. Our study shows that the adverse effects of betamethasone are dependent on the time of treatment with generally less side effects on glucose metabolism with in-phase treatment. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights differences in glucocorticoid outcome based on the time of measurement, advocating that potential circadian variation should be taken into account when studying glucocorticoid biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Li
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Sen Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Patrick C N Rensen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Sander Kooijman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Kroon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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Pipper C, Bliem L, León LE, Mennickent D, Bodner C, Guzmán-Gutiérrez E, Stingl M, Untersmayr E, Wagner B, Bertinat R, Sepúlveda N, Westermeier F. Sex and disease severity-based analysis of steroid hormones in ME/CFS. J Endocrinol Invest 2024; 47:2235-2248. [PMID: 38724880 PMCID: PMC11369000 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-024-02334-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating disease characterized by persistent fatigue and decreased daily activity following physical and/or cognitive exertion. While ME/CFS affects both sexes, there is a higher prevalence in women. However, studies evaluating this sex-related bias are limited. METHODS Circulating steroid hormones, including mineralocorticoids (aldosterone), glucocorticoids (cortisol, corticosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, cortisone), androgens (androstenedione, testosterone), and progestins (progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone), were measured in plasma samples using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Samples were obtained from mild/moderate (ME/CFSmm; females, n=20; males, n=8), severely affected patients (ME/CFSsa; females, n=24; males, n=6), and healthy controls (HC, females, n=12; males, n=17). RESULTS After correction for multiple testing, we observed that circulating levels of 11-deoxycortisol, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone in females, and progesterone in males were significantly different between HC, ME/CFSmm, and ME/CFSsa. Comparing two independent groups, we found that female ME/CFSsa had higher levels of 11-deoxycortisol (vs. HC and ME/CFSmm) and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (vs. HC). In addition, female ME/CFSmm showed a significant increase in progesterone levels compared to HC. In contrast, our study found that male ME/CFSmm had lower circulating levels of cortisol and corticosterone, while progesterone levels were elevated compared to HC. In addition to these univariate analyses, our correlational and multivariate approaches identified differential associations between our study groups. Also, using two-component partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), we were able to discriminate ME/CFS from HC with an accuracy of 0.712 and 0.846 for females and males, respectively. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest the potential value of including steroid hormones in future studies aimed at improving stratification in ME/CFS. Additionally, our results provide new perspectives to explore the clinical relevance of these differences within specific patient subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Pipper
- Institute of Biomedical Science, Department of Health Studies, FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - Linda Bliem
- Institute of Biomedical Science, Department of Health Studies, FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - Luis E León
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Mennickent
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Morfología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Machine Learning Applied in Biomedicine (MLAB), Concepción, Chile
- Departamento de Análisis Instrumental, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Claudia Bodner
- Institute of Biomedical Science, Department of Health Studies, FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - Enrique Guzmán-Gutiérrez
- Machine Learning Applied in Biomedicine (MLAB), Concepción, Chile
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | | | - Eva Untersmayr
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Wagner
- Institute of Biomedical Science, Department of Health Studies, FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - Romina Bertinat
- Centro de Microscopía Avanzada, CMA-BIO BIO, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Nuno Sepúlveda
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
- CEAUL - Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Francisco Westermeier
- Institute of Biomedical Science, Department of Health Studies, FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Graz, Austria.
- Centro de Biología y Química Aplicada (CIBQA), Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago, Chile.
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Adriaansen BPH, Utari A, Westra D, Juniarto AZ, Ariani MD, Ediati A, Schröder MAM, Span PN, Sweep FCGJ, Drop SLS, Faradz SMH, van Herwaarden AE, Claahsen – van der Grinten HL. 46,XX males with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: a clinical and biochemical description. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1410122. [PMID: 39175568 PMCID: PMC11338787 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1410122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) or 11-hydroxylase deficiency (11OHD) is characterized by underproduction of cortisol and overproduction of adrenal androgens. These androgens lead to a variable degree of virilization of the female external genitalia in 46,XX individuals. Especially in developing countries, diagnosis is often delayed and 46,XX patients might be assigned as males. This study aims to describe the clinical and biochemical characteristics of a unique cohort of untreated male-reared 46,XX classic CAH patients from Indonesia and discusses treatment challenges. Methods Nine untreated classic CAH patients with 46,XX genotype and 21OHD (n=6) or 11OHD (n=3), aged 3-46 years old, were included. Biometrical parameters, clinical characteristics, and biochemical measurements including glucocorticoids, renin, androgens, and the pituitary-gonadal axis were evaluated. Results All patients had low early morning serum cortisol concentrations (median 89 nmol/L) without significant increase after ACTH stimulation. Three patients with salt wasting 21OHD reported one or more periods with seizures and/or vomiting in their past until the age of 6, but not thereafter. The remaining patients reported no severe illness or hospitalization episodes, despite their decreased capacity to produce cortisol. In the 21OHD patients, plasma renin levels were elevated compared to the reference range, and in 11OHD patients renin levels were in the low-normal range. All adult patients had serum testosterone concentrations within the normal male reference range. In 21OHD patients, serum 11-oxygenated androgens comprised 41-60% of the total serum androgen concentrations. Glucocorticoid treatment was offered to all patients, but they refused after counseling as this would reduce their endogenous androgen production and they did not report complaints of their low cortisol levels. Discussion We describe a unique cohort of untreated classic 46,XX male CAH patients without overt clinical signs of cortisol deficiency despite their cortisol underproduction and incapacity to increase cortisol levels after ACTH stimulation. The described adolescent and adult patients produce androgen levels within or above the normal male reference range. Glucocorticoid treatment will lower these adrenal androgen concentrations. Therefore, in 46,XX CAH patients reared as males an individual treatment approach with careful counseling and clear instructions is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bas P. H. Adriaansen
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Amalia Children’s Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Agustini Utari
- Center for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
| | - Dineke Westra
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Achmad Zulfa Juniarto
- Center for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
| | - Mahayu Dewi Ariani
- Center for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
| | | | - Mariska A. M. Schröder
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Amalia Children’s Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Paul N. Span
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Fred C. G. J. Sweep
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Stenvert L. S. Drop
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, Sophia Children’s Hospital, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sultana M. H. Faradz
- Center for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
| | | | - Hedi L. Claahsen – van der Grinten
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Amalia Children’s Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Egbuniwe IC, Akogwu MS, Obetta TU. Mechanisms underlying reproductive responses of Japanese quails to heat stress conditions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2024:10.1007/s00484-024-02742-1. [PMID: 39075280 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-024-02742-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to heat stress can cause a significant increase in the death rate and disease susceptibility of poultry birds, ultimately impacting the profitability of the poultry industry. Despite being a more economical choice, Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) are not immune to the harmful effects of heat stress. Quails may experience negative effects on their reproductive performance due to excessive reactive molecules caused by heat stress. However, they have developed various mechanisms to maintain their reproductive abilities in such conditions. The neuroendocrine system in birds plays a vital role in regulating their reproductive responses to thermal stress, and it is also connected to other environmental factors such as photoperiod that can impact their reproductive performance. Hormones are crucial in the complex interactions necessary for sexual maturation and reproductive responses to heat stress in Japanese quails living in stressful thermal conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martins Steven Akogwu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
| | - Timothy Ugochukwu Obetta
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
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Yee CS, Meliadis C, Kaya S, Chang W, Alliston T. The osteocytic actions of glucocorticoids on bone mass, mechanical properties, or perilacunar remodeling outcomes are not rescued by PTH(1-34). Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1342938. [PMID: 39092287 PMCID: PMC11291448 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1342938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GC) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) are widely used therapeutic endocrine hormones where their effects on bone and joint arise from actions on multiple skeletal cell types. In osteocytes, GC and PTH exert opposing effects on perilacunar canalicular remodeling (PLR). Suppressed PLR can impair bone quality and joint homeostasis, including in GC-induced osteonecrosis. However, combined effects of GC and PTH on PLR are unknown. Given the untapped potential to target osteocytes to improve skeletal health, this study sought to test the feasibility of therapeutically mitigating PLR suppression. Focusing on subchondral bone and joint homeostasis, we hypothesize that PTH(1-34), a PLR agonist, could rescue GC-suppressed PLR. The skeletal effects of GC and PTH(1-34), alone or combined, were examined in male and female mice by micro-computed tomography, mechanical testing, histology, and gene expression analysis. For each outcome, females were more responsive to GC and PTH(1-34) than males. GC and PTH(1-34) exerted regional differences, with GC increasing trabecular bone volume but reducing cortical bone thickness, stiffness, and ultimate force. Despite PTH(1-34)'s anabolic effects on trabecular bone, it did not rescue GC's catabolic effects on cortical bone. Likewise, cartilage integrity and subchondral bone apoptosis, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity, and osteocyte lacunocanalicular networks showed no evidence that PTH(1-34) could offset GC-dependent effects. Rather, GC and PTH(1-34) each increased cortical bone gene expression implicated in bone resorption by osteoclasts and osteocytes, including Acp5, Mmp13, Atp6v0d2, Ctsk, differences maintained when GC and PTH(1-34) were combined. Since PTH(1-34) is insufficient to rescue GC's effects on young female mouse bone, future studies are needed to determine if osteocyte PLR suppression, due to GC, aging, or other factors, can be offset by a PLR agonist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristal S. Yee
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Christoforos Meliadis
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Serra Kaya
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Wenhan Chang
- Endocrine Research Unit, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Tamara Alliston
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Puglisi S, Barač Nekić A, Morelli V, Alessi Y, Fosci M, Pani A, Zibar Tomsic K, Palmieri S, Ferraù F, Pia A, Chiodini I, Kastelan D, Reimondo G, Terzolo M. Are comorbidities of patients with adrenal incidentaloma tied to sex? Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1385808. [PMID: 38808113 PMCID: PMC11130385 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1385808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background A recent cross-sectional study showed that both comorbidities and mortality in patients with adrenal incidentaloma (AI) are tied to sex. However, few longitudinal studies evaluated the development of arterial hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and bone impairment in patients with AI. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of sex in the development of these comorbidities during long-term follow-up. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 189 patients (120 females, 69 males) with AI, from four referral centers in Italy and Croatia. Clinical characteristics, comorbidities and cortisol after 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (1-mg DST) were assessed at baseline and at last follow-up visit (LFUV). Median follow-up was 52 (Interquartile Range 25-86) months. Results The rates of arterial hypertension and hyperglycemia increased over time both in females (65.8% at baseline versus 77.8% at LFUV, p=0.002; 23.7% at baseline versus 39.6% at LFUV, p<0.001; respectively) and males (58.0% at baseline versus 69.1% at LFUV, p=0.035; 33.8% at baseline versus 54.0% at LFUV, p<0.001; respectively). Patients were stratified in two groups using 1.8 µg/dl as cut-off of cortisol following 1-mg DST: non-functional adrenal tumors (NFAT) and tumors with mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS). In the NFAT group (99 patients, females 62.6%), at baseline, we did not observe any difference in clinical characteristics and comorbidities between males and females. At LFUV, males showed a higher frequency of hyperglycemia than females (57.6% versus 33.9%, p=0.03). In the MACS group (89 patients, females 64.0%), at baseline, the prevalence of hypertension, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia was similar between sexes, despite females were younger (60, IQR 55-69 versus 67.5, IQR 61-73, years; p=0.01). Moreover, females presented higher rates of bone impairment (89.3% versus 54.5%, p=0.02) than males. At LFUV, a similar sex-related pattern was observed. Conclusion Patients with AI frequently develop arterial hypertension and hyperglycemia and should be periodically checked for these comorbidities, regardless of sex. In patients with MACS, the lack of difference between sexes in the frequency of cardiometabolic comorbidities despite that females are younger, and the higher frequency of bone impairment in females, suggest a sex-specific effect of cortisol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soraya Puglisi
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Internal Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Anja Barač Nekić
- Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Valentina Morelli
- Unit for Bone Metabolism Diseases and Diabetes and Lab of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Ylenia Alessi
- Department of Human Pathology G. Barresi, Endocrine Unit, University Hospital G. Martino, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Michele Fosci
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Endocrinology and Obesity Unit, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Angelo Pani
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Endocrinology and Obesity Unit, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Karin Zibar Tomsic
- Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Serena Palmieri
- Endocrinology Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferraù
- Department of Human Pathology G. Barresi, Endocrine Unit, University Hospital G. Martino, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Anna Pia
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Internal Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Iacopo Chiodini
- Department of Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Ospedale Niguarda Cà Granda, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Darko Kastelan
- Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Giuseppe Reimondo
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Internal Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Massimo Terzolo
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Internal Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
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Schiffer L, Oestlund I, Snoep JL, Gilligan LC, Taylor AE, Sinclair AJ, Singhal R, Freeman A, Ajjan R, Tiganescu A, Arlt W, Storbeck KH. Inhibition of the glucocorticoid-activating enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 drives concurrent 11-oxygenated androgen excess. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23574. [PMID: 38551804 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202302131r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Aldo-keto reductase 1C3 (AKR1C3) is a key enzyme in the activation of both classic and 11-oxygenated androgens. In adipose tissue, AKR1C3 is co-expressed with 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1), which catalyzes not only the local activation of glucocorticoids but also the inactivation of 11-oxygenated androgens, and thus has the potential to counteract AKR1C3. Using a combination of in vitro assays and in silico modeling we show that HSD11B1 attenuates the biosynthesis of the potent 11-oxygenated androgen, 11-ketotestosterone (11KT), by AKR1C3. Employing ex vivo incubations of human female adipose tissue samples we show that inhibition of HSD11B1 results in the increased peripheral biosynthesis of 11KT. Moreover, circulating 11KT increased 2-3 fold in individuals with type 2 diabetes after receiving the selective oral HSD11B1 inhibitor AZD4017 for 35 days, thus confirming that HSD11B1 inhibition results in systemic increases in 11KT concentrations. Our findings show that HSD11B1 protects against excess 11KT production by adipose tissue, a finding of particular significance when considering the evidence for adverse metabolic effects of androgens in women. Therefore, when targeting glucocorticoid activation by HSD11B1 inhibitor treatment in women, the consequently increased generation of 11KT may offset beneficial effects of decreased glucocorticoid activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Schiffer
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Imken Oestlund
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Jacky L Snoep
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Molecular Cell Biology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lorna C Gilligan
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Angela E Taylor
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Alexandra J Sinclair
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Rishi Singhal
- Upper GI Unit and Minimally Invasive Unit, Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Adrian Freeman
- Emerging Innovations Unit, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ramzi Ajjan
- Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Center, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Ana Tiganescu
- Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Center, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Wiebke Arlt
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Medical Sciences, London, UK
| | - Karl-Heinz Storbeck
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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9
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Bakhshi P, Ho JQ, Zanganeh S. Sex-specific outcomes in cancer therapy: the central role of hormones. FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 2024; 6:1320690. [PMID: 38362126 PMCID: PMC10867131 DOI: 10.3389/fmedt.2024.1320690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex hormones play a pivotal role in modulating various physiological processes, with emerging evidence underscoring their influence on cancer progression and treatment outcomes. This review delves into the intricate relationship between sex hormones and cancer, elucidating the underlying biological mechanisms and their clinical implications. We explore the multifaceted roles of estrogen, androgens, and progesterone, highlighting their respective influence on specific cancers such as breast, ovarian, endometrial, and prostate. Special attention is given to estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) tumors, androgen receptor signaling, and the dual role of progesterone in both promoting and inhibiting cancer progression. Clinical observations reveal varied treatment responses contingent upon hormonal levels, with certain therapies like tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, and anti-androgens demonstrating notable success. However, disparities in treatment outcomes between males and females in hormone-sensitive cancers necessitate further exploration. Therapeutically, the utilization of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during cancer treatments presents both potential risks and benefits. The promise of personalized therapies, tailored to an individual's hormonal profile, offers a novel approach to optimizing therapeutic outcomes. Concurrently, the burgeoning exploration of new drugs and interventions targeting hormonal pathways heralds a future of more effective and precise treatments for hormone-sensitive cancers. This review underscores the pressing need for a deeper understanding of sex hormones in cancer therapy and the ensuing implications for future therapeutic innovations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Bakhshi
- Research and Development, MetasFree Biopharmaceutical Company, Mansfield, MA, United States
| | - Jim Q. Ho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Steven Zanganeh
- Research and Development, MetasFree Biopharmaceutical Company, Mansfield, MA, United States
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10
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de Kloet ER, Joëls M. The cortisol switch between vulnerability and resilience. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:20-34. [PMID: 36599967 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01934-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In concert with neuropeptides and transmitters, the end products of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the glucocorticoid hormones cortisol and corticosterone (CORT), promote resilience: i.e., the ability to cope with threats, adversity, and trauma. To exert this protective action, CORT activates mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) that operate in a complementary manner -as an on/off switch- to coordinate circadian events, stress-coping, and adaptation. The evolutionary older limbic MR facilitates contextual memory retrieval and supports an on-switch in the selection of stress-coping styles at a low cost. The rise in circulating CORT concentration after stress subsequently activates a GR-mediated off-switch underlying recovery of homeostasis by providing the energy for restraining the primary stress reactions and promoting cognitive control over emotional reactivity. GR activation facilitates contextual memory storage of the experience to enable future stress-coping. Such complementary MR-GR-mediated actions involve rapid non-genomic and slower gene-mediated mechanisms; they are time-dependent, conditional, and sexually dimorphic, and depend on genetic background and prior experience. If coping fails, GR activation impairs cognitive control and promotes emotional arousal which eventually may compromise resilience. Such breakdown of resilience involves a transition to a chronic stress construct, where information processing is crashed; it leads to an imbalanced MR-GR switch and hence increased vulnerability. Novel MR-GR modulators are becoming available that may reset a dysregulated stress response system to reinstate the cognitive flexibility required for resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Ronald de Kloet
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Leiden/Amsterdam Center of Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Marian Joëls
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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11
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Thangaraj SV, Zeng L, Pennathur S, Lea R, Sinclair KD, Bellingham M, Evans NP, Auchus R, Padmanabhan V. Developmental programming: Impact of preconceptional and gestational exposure to a real-life environmental chemical mixture on maternal steroid, cytokine and oxidative stress milieus in sheep. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165674. [PMID: 37495149 PMCID: PMC10568064 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gestational exposure to environmental chemicals (ECs) is associated with adverse, sex-specific offspring health effects of global concern. As the maternal steroid, cytokine and oxidative stress milieus can have critical effects on pregnancy outcomes and the programming of diseases in offspring, it is important to study the impact of real-life EC exposure, i.e., chronic low levels of mixtures of ECs on these milieus. Sheep exposed to biosolids, derived from human waste, is an impactful model representing the ECs humans are exposed to in real-life. Offspring of sheep grazed on biosolids-treated pasture are characterized by reproductive and metabolic disruptions. OBJECTIVE To determine if biosolids exposure disrupts the maternal steroid, cytokine and oxidative stress milieus, in a fetal sex-specific manner. METHODS Ewes were maintained before mating and through gestation on pastures fertilized with biosolids (BTP), or inorganic fertilizer (Control). From maternal plasma collected mid-gestation, 19 steroids, 14 cytokines, 6 oxidative stress markers were quantified. Unpaired t-test and ANOVA were used to test for differences between control and BTP groups (n = 15/group) and between groups based on fetal sex, respectively. Correlation between the different markers was assessed by Spearman correlation. RESULTS Concentrations of the mineralocorticoids - deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone, the glucocorticoids - deoxycortisol, cortisol, cortisone, the sex steroids - androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, 16-OH-progesterone and reactive oxygen metabolites were higher in the BTP ewes compared to Controls, while the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-17A and anti-inflammatory IL-36RA were decreased in the BTP group. BTP ewes with a female fetus had lower levels of IP-10. DISCUSSION These findings suggest that pre-conceptional and gestational exposure to ECs in biosolids increases steroids, reactive oxygen metabolites and disrupts cytokines in maternal circulation, likely contributors to the aberrant phenotypic outcomes seen in offspring of BTP sheep - a translationally relevant precocial model.
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Affiliation(s)
- S V Thangaraj
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - L Zeng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - S Pennathur
- Departments of Medicine and Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - R Lea
- Schools of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, UK
| | - K D Sinclair
- Schools of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, UK
| | - M Bellingham
- School of Biodiversity One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK
| | - N P Evans
- School of Biodiversity One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK
| | - R Auchus
- Departments of Pharmacology & Internal medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, & Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - V Padmanabhan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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12
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Toews JNC, Philippe TJ, Dordevic M, Hill LA, Hammond GL, Viau V. Corticosteroid-Binding Globulin (SERPINA6) Consolidates Sexual Dimorphism of Adult Rat Liver. Endocrinology 2023; 165:bqad179. [PMID: 38015819 PMCID: PMC10699879 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqad179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Produced by the liver, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) regulates the plasma distribution and actions of glucocorticoids. A sex difference in pituitary growth hormone secretion patterns established during puberty in rats results in increased hepatic CBG production and 2-fold higher plasma corticosterone levels in females. Glucocorticoids control hepatic development and metabolic activities, and we have therefore examined how disrupting the SerpinA6 gene encoding CBG influences plasma corticosterone dynamics, as well as liver gene expression in male and female rats before and after puberty. Comparisons of corticosterone plasma clearance and hepatic uptake in adult rats, with or without CBG, indicated that CBG limits corticosterone clearance by reducing its hepatic uptake. Hepatic transcriptomic profiling revealed minor sex differences (207 differentially expressed genes) and minimal effect of CBG deficiency in 30-day-old rats before puberty. While liver transcriptomes in 60-day-old males lacking CBG remained essentially unchanged, 2710 genes were differentially expressed in wild-type female vs male livers at this age. Importantly, ∼10% of these genes lost their sexually dimorphic expression in adult females lacking CBG, including those related to cholesterol biosynthesis, inflammation, and lipid and amino acid catabolism. Another 203 genes were altered by the loss of CBG specifically in adult females, including those related to xenobiotic metabolism, circadian rhythm, and gluconeogenesis. Our findings reveal that CBG consolidates the sexual dimorphism of the rat liver initiated by sex differences in growth hormone secretion patterns and provide insight into how CBG deficiencies are linked to glucocorticoid-dependent diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia N C Toews
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Tristan J Philippe
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Matthew Dordevic
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lesley A Hill
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Geoffrey L Hammond
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Victor Viau
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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13
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Bloyd M, Sinaii N, Faucz FR, Iben J, Coon SL, Caprio S, Santoro N, Stratakis CA, London E. High-frequency variants in PKA signaling-related genes within a large pediatric cohort with obesity or metabolic abnormalities. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1272939. [PMID: 38027204 PMCID: PMC10679389 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1272939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pediatric obesity has steadily increased in recent decades. Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted primarily in Eurocentric adult populations have identified approximately 100 loci that predispose to obesity and type II diabetes. GWAS in children and individuals of non-European descent, both disproportionately affected by obesity, are fewer. Rare syndromic and monogenic obesities account for only a small portion of childhood obesity, so understanding the role of other genetic variants and their combinations in heritable obesities is key to developing targeted and personalized therapies. Tight and responsive regulation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) signaling pathway is crucial to maintaining healthy energy metabolism, and mutations in PKA-linked genes represent the most common cause of monogenic obesity. Methods For this study, we performed targeted exome sequencing of 53 PKA signaling-related genes to identify variants in genomic DNA from a large, ethnically diverse cohort of obese or metabolically challenged youth. Results We confirmed 49 high-frequency variants, including a novel variant in the PDE11A gene (c.152C>T). Several other variants were associated with metabolic characteristics within ethnic groups. Discussion We conclude that a PKA pathway-specific variant search led to the identification of several new genetic associations with obesity in an ethnically diverse population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bloyd
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Program on Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Ninet Sinaii
- Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Fabio Rueda Faucz
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Program on Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - James Iben
- Molecular Genomics Core, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Steven L. Coon
- Molecular Genomics Core, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sonia Caprio
- Section on Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Nicola Santoro
- Section on Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, “V. Tiberio” University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Constantine A. Stratakis
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Program on Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
- Human Genetics and Precision Medicine, Institute for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, ELPEN Research Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Edra London
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Program on Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
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14
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Favero V, Prete A, Mangone A, Elhassan YS, Pucino V, Asia M, Hardy R, Chiodini I, Ronchi CL. Inflammation-based scores in benign adrenocortical tumours are linked to the degree of cortisol excess: a retrospective single-centre study. Eur J Endocrinol 2023; 189:517-526. [PMID: 37962923 DOI: 10.1093/ejendo/lvad151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Benign adrenocortical tumours are diagnosed in ∼5% of adults and are associated with cortisol excess in 30%-50% of cases. Adrenal Cushing's syndrome (CS) is rare and leads to multiple haematological alterations. However, little is known about the effects of the much more frequent mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) on immune function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the haematological alterations in benign adrenocortical tumours with different degrees of cortisol excess. DESIGN AND METHODS We investigated 375 patients: 215 with non-functioning adrenal tumours (NFAT), 138 with MACS, and 22 with CS. We evaluated the relationship between the degree of cortisol excess and full blood count as well as multiple inflammation-based scores, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). RESULTS We observed a gradual and significant increase of leucocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes across the spectrum of cortisol excess, from NFAT over MACS to CS. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and SII were significantly higher in both MACS and CS when compared to NFAT (P < .001 and P = .002 for NLR and P = .006 and P = .021 for SII, respectively). Conversely, LMR was lower in MACS and CS than in NFAT (P = .01 and <.001, respectively) but also significantly lower in CS compared to MACS (P = .007). CONCLUSIONS Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, SII, and LMR correlated with the degree of cortisol excess in benign adrenocortical tumours and were altered in patients with CS and MACS. These findings suggest that, similar to clinically overt CS, MACS also affects the immune function, potentially contributing to the MACS-associated comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Favero
- Department of Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan 20010, Italy
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B152TT, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandro Prete
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B152TT, United Kingdom
- Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B152TT, United Kingdom
- Department of Endocrinology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B152GW, United Kingdom
- NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B152GW, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandra Mangone
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan 20100, Italy
| | - Yasir S Elhassan
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B152TT, United Kingdom
- Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B152TT, United Kingdom
- Department of Endocrinology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B152GW, United Kingdom
| | - Valentina Pucino
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B152TT, United Kingdom
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Oxford OX37FY, United Kingdom
| | - Miriam Asia
- Department of Endocrinology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B152GW, United Kingdom
| | - Rowan Hardy
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B152TT, United Kingdom
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B152TT, United Kingdom
| | - Iacopo Chiodini
- Department of Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan 20010, Italy
- Unit of Endocrinology, Ospedale Niguarda Cà Granda, Milan 20100, Italy
| | - Cristina L Ronchi
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B152TT, United Kingdom
- Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B152TT, United Kingdom
- Department of Endocrinology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B152GW, United Kingdom
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15
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de Kloet ER. Glucocorticoid feedback paradox: a homage to Mary Dallman. Stress 2023; 26:2247090. [PMID: 37589046 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2023.2247090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
As the end product of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the glucocorticoid hormones cortisol and corticosterone coordinate circadian activities, stress-coping, and adaptation to change. For this purpose, the hormone promotes energy metabolism and controls defense reactions in the body and brain. This life-sustaining action exerted by glucocorticoids occurs in concert with the autonomic nervous and immune systems, transmitters, growth factors/cytokines, and neuropeptides. The current contribution will focus on the glucocorticoid feedback paradox in the HPA-axis: the phenomenon that stress responsivity remains resilient if preceded by stress-induced secretion of glucocorticoid hormone, but not if this hormone is previously administered. Furthermore, in animal studies, the mixed progesterone/glucocorticoid antagonist RU486 or mifepristone switches to an apparent partial agonist upon repeated administration. To address these enigmas several interesting phenomena are highlighted. These include the conditional nature of the excitation/inhibition balance in feedback regulation, the role of glucose as a determinant of stress responsivity, and the potential of glucocorticoids in resetting the stress response system. The analysis of the feedback paradox provides also a golden opportunity to review the progress in understanding the role of glucocorticoid hormone in resilience and vulnerability during stress, the science that was burned deeply in Mary Dallman's emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edo Ronald de Kloet
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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16
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Fang Y, Medina D, Stockwell R, McFadden S, Quinn K, Peck MR, Bartke A, Hascup KN, Hascup ER. Sexual dimorphic metabolic and cognitive responses of C57BL/6 mice to Fisetin or Dasatinib and quercetin cocktail oral treatment. GeroScience 2023; 45:2835-2850. [PMID: 37296266 PMCID: PMC10643448 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00843-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Senolytic treatment in aged mice clears senescent cell burden leading to functional improvements. However, less is known regarding the effects of these compounds when administered prior to significant senescent cell accumulation. From 4-13 months of age, C57BL/6 male and female mice received monthly oral dosing of either 100 mg/kg Fisetin or a 5 mg/kg Dasatinib (D) plus 50 mg/kg Quercetin (Q) cocktail. During treatment, several aspects of healthy aging were assayed including glucose metabolism using an insulin and glucose tolerance test, cognitive performance using Morris water maze and novel object recognition, and energy metabolism using indirect calorimetry. Afterwards, mice were euthanized for plasma, tissue specific markers of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and white adipose tissue accumulation (WAT). Sexually dimorphic treatment effects were observed. Fisetin treated male mice had reduced SASP, enhanced glucose and energy metabolism, improved cognitive performance, and increased mRNA expression of adiponectin receptor 1 and glucose transporter 4. D + Q treatment had minimal effects in male C57BL/6 mice, but was detrimental to females causing increased SASP expression along with accumulation of WAT depots. Reduced energy metabolism and cognitive performance were also noted. Fisetin treatment had no effect in female C57BL/6 mice potentially due to a slower rate of biological aging. In summary, the senolytic treatment in young adulthood, has beneficial, negligible, or detrimental effects in C57BL/6 mice dependent upon sex and treatment. These observations should serve as a note of caution in this rapidly evolving and expanding field of investigation. Male and female C57BL/6 mice were treated with once monthly oral doses of either Dasatinib (D) + Quercetin (Q) or Fisetin from 4-13 months of age. Males treated with Fisetin had reduced SASP markers (blue spheres) as well as improved metabolism (red flame) and cognition. Females treated with D + Q had increased adiposity and SASP markers (red spheres) along with decreased metabolism (blue flame) and cognitive performance. No effects were observed in females treated with Fisetin or males treated with D + Q.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimin Fang
- Department of Neurology, Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, Neuroscience Institute, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - David Medina
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - Robert Stockwell
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - Sam McFadden
- Department of Neurology, Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, Neuroscience Institute, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - Kathleen Quinn
- Department of Neurology, Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, Neuroscience Institute, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - Mackenzie R Peck
- Department of Neurology, Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, Neuroscience Institute, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - Andrzej Bartke
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - Kevin N Hascup
- Department of Neurology, Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, Neuroscience Institute, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - Erin R Hascup
- Department of Neurology, Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, Neuroscience Institute, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA.
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17
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Steiniche T, Foerster S, White KE, Monfort S, Brown JL, Chowdhury S, Swedell L. Elevated glucocorticoids during the ovarian follicular phase predict conception in wild female chacma baboons. Horm Behav 2023; 152:105354. [PMID: 37079971 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Mating related behavior during ovarian cycling can be energetically demanding and constitute a significant stressor, requiring physiological responses to mediate investment in reproduction. To better understand the proximate mechanisms underlying these responses, we examine hormonal and behavioral variation across the ovarian cycle during conceptive and nonconceptive cycles in wild female chacma baboons (Papio ursinus). We quantified immunoreactive fecal estradiol, progesterone, and cortisol metabolites for 21 adult females, and calculated activity budgets and rates of received aggression from over 5000 15-min behavioral samples. We found conception to be associated with higher concentrations of both estradiol and cortisol during the follicular phase, but no difference in progesterone between conceptive and nonconceptive cycles for either the follicular or luteal phase. While females spent less time feeding during the follicular compared to the luteal phase, we found no difference in time spent feeding, moving, or copulating between conceptive and nonconceptive cycles of the same phase. Rates of received aggression also were similar across the ovarian cycle, with no difference between conceptive and nonconceptive cycles. Finally, we found positive associations between cortisol and estradiol, indicating that glucocorticoids (GCs) do not suppress hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) activity and reproductive function in this context. Overall, our results suggest that elevated GCs may play an adaptive role in mobilizing energy during sexually receptive periods of ovarian cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Steven Monfort
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - Janine L Brown
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - Shahrina Chowdhury
- Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Larissa Swedell
- Queens College, City University New York, Flushing, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA; University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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18
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Macedo AG, Almeida TAF, Massini DA, De Paula VF, De Oliveira DM, Pessôa Filho DM. Effects of exercise training on glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy: literature review. Steroids 2023; 195:109240. [PMID: 37061112 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2023.109240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) administration, such as cortisol acetate (CA) and dexamethasone (DEXA), is used worldwide due to their anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and immunosuppressive properties. However, muscle atrophy is one of the primary deleterious induced responses from the chronic treatment with GCs since it stimulates muscle degradation inhibiting muscle protein synthesis. Animal models allow a better understanding of the molecular pathways involved in this process of gene modulation and production of hypertrophic and atrophic proteins. The treatment with GCs, such as DEXA, promotes the reduction of hypertrophic proteins such as serine/threonine tyrosine kinase (AKT), protein kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) and increased gene expression or production of atrophic proteins, such as myostatin, muscle atrophic F-box (atrogin-1), or muscle ring finger protein-1 (MuRF-1). In both continuous exercise (CE) and resistance exercise (RE) forms, exercise training is used to mitigate muscle atrophy induced by GCs. The CE attenuated muscle atrophy induced by CA or DEXA in the plantaris and extensor digitorum longus muscle, while RE mitigated the DEXA-induced atrophy in plantaris and flexor hallux longus muscles. The RE response appears to have occurred by modulation of hypertrophic proteins through increased protein production or phosphorylated/total ratio of mTOR and p70S6K and decreased atrophic protein production of atrogin-1 and MuRF-1. CE needs future research to understand the molecular pathways of its protective response. Abreviations: GCs, glucocorticoids; CA, cortisol acetate. DEXA, dexamethason; ET, exercise training; CE, continuous exercise; RE, resistance exercise; AKT, serine/threonine tyrosine kinase; mTOR, protein kinase mammalian target of rapamycin; p70S6K, ribosomal protein S6 kinase; FOXO3A, forkead box 3A; atrogin-1, muscle atrophic F-box; MuRF-1, muscle ring finger protein; PI3K, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase; IGF-I, Insulin-like Growth Factor-I; IRS-1, insulin receptor substrate; REDD1, regulated in development and DNA damage responses 1; HSP70, heat shock protein 70; GR, glucocorticoid receptor; Smad2, Cytoplasmic Smad2; Smad3, Cytoplasmic Smad3; CS, Cushing's syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson G Macedo
- Department of Physical Education, Science Faculty, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Vargem Limpa, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil; Graduate Programe in Human Development and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), 13506-900, São Paulo, Rio Claro, Brazil.
| | - Tiago A F Almeida
- Department of Physical Education, Science Faculty, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Vargem Limpa, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil; Graduate Programe in Human Development and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), 13506-900, São Paulo, Rio Claro, Brazil; CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Danilo A Massini
- Graduate Programe in Human Development and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), 13506-900, São Paulo, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Vinícius F De Paula
- Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, PIPGCF UFSCar/UNESP, Rodovia Washington Luiz, km 235 Monjolinho, 676, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - David M De Oliveira
- Federal University Jataí, Department of Physical Education, km 195, 3900, Goiás, Jataí, Brazil
| | - Dalton M Pessôa Filho
- Department of Physical Education, Science Faculty, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Vargem Limpa, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil; Graduate Programe in Human Development and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), 13506-900, São Paulo, Rio Claro, Brazil
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19
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Moore CJ, Holstege CP, Papin JA. Metabolic modeling of sex-specific tissue predicts mechanisms of differences in toxicological responses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.07.527430. [PMID: 36798158 PMCID: PMC9934589 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.07.527430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Male subjects in animal and human studies are disproportionately used for toxicological testing. This discrepancy is evidenced in clinical medicine where females are more likely than males to experience liver-related adverse events in response to xenobiotics. While previous work has shown gene expression differences between the sexes, there is a lack of systems-level approaches to understand the direct clinical impact effect of these differences. Here, we integrate gene expression data with metabolic network models to characterize the impact of transcriptional changes of metabolic genes in the context of sex differences and drug treatment. We used Tasks Inferred from Differential Expression (TIDEs), a reaction-centric approach to analyzing differences in gene expression, to discover that androgen, ether lipid, glucocorticoid, tryptophan, and xenobiotic metabolism have more activity in the male liver, and serotonin, melatonin, pentose, glucuronate, and vitamin A metabolism have more activity in the female liver. When TIDEs is used to compare expression differences in treated and untreated hepatocytes, we see little response in those sex-altered subsystems, and the largest differences are in subsystems related to lipid metabolism. Finally, using sex-specific transcriptomic data, we create individual and averaged male and female liver models and find differences in the import of bile acids and salts. This result suggests that the sexually dimorphic behavior of the liver may be caused by differences in enterohepatic recirculation, and we suggest an investigation into sex-specific microbiome composition as an avenue of further research. Author Summary Male-bias in clinical testing of drugs has led to a disproportionate number of hepatotoxic events in women. Previous works use gene-by-gene differences in biological sex to explain this discrepancy, but there is little focus on the systematic interactions of these differences. To this end, we use a combination of gene expression data and metabolic modeling to compare metabolic activity between the male and female liver and treated and untreated hepatocytes. We find several subsystems with differential activity in each sex; however, when comparing these subsystems with those pathways altered by hepatotoxic agents, we find little overlap. To explore these differences on a reaction-by-reaction basis, we use the same sex-specific transcriptomic data to contextualize the previously published Human1 human cell metabolic model. In these models we find a difference in flux for the import of bile acids and salts, suggesting a potential difference in enterohepatic circulation. These findings can help guide future drug design, toxicological testing, and sex-specific research to better account for the entire human population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor J Moore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Christopher P Holstege
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Medical Toxicology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA
| | - Jason A Papin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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20
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Chanana N, Palmo T, Sharma K, Kumar R, Shah B, Mahajan S, Palleda GM, Gupta MD, Kukreti R, Faruq M, Thinlas T, Graham BB, Pasha Q. Sexual Dimorphism of Dexamethasone as a Prophylactic Treatment in Pathologies Associated With Acute Hypobaric Hypoxia Exposure. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:873867. [PMID: 35668947 PMCID: PMC9163683 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.873867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dexamethasone can be taken prophylactically to prevent hypobaric hypoxia-associated disorders of high-altitude. While dexamethasone-mediated protection against high-altitude disorders has been clinically evaluated, detailed sex-based mechanistic insights have not been explored. As part of our India-Leh-Dexamethasone-expedition-2020 (INDEX 2020) programme, we examined the phenotype of control (n = 14) and dexamethasone (n = 13) groups, which were airlifted from Delhi (∼225 m elevation) to Leh, Ladakh (∼3,500 m), India, for 3 days. Dexamethasone 4 mg twice daily significantly attenuated the rise in blood pressure, heart rate, pulmonary pressure, and drop in SaO2 resulting from high-altitude exposure compared to control-treated subjects. Of note, the effect of dexamethasone was substantially greater in women than in men, in whom the drug had relatively little effect. Thus, for the first time, this study shows a sex-biased regulation by dexamethasone of physiologic parameters resulting from the hypoxic environment of high-altitude, which impacts the development of high-altitude pulmonary hypertension and acute mountain sickness. Future studies of cellular contributions toward sex-specific regulation may provide further insights and preventive measures in managing sex-specific, high-altitude–related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Chanana
- Department of Genomics and Molecular Medicine, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
| | - Tsering Palmo
- Department of Genomics and Molecular Medicine, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
| | - Kavita Sharma
- Department of Genomics and Molecular Medicine, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
| | - Rahul Kumar
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Bhushan Shah
- Department of Cardiology, GB Pant Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Sudhanshu Mahajan
- Department of Cardiology, GB Pant Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Girish M. Palleda
- Department of Cardiology, GB Pant Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Mohit D. Gupta
- Department of Cardiology, GB Pant Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Ritushree Kukreti
- Department of Genomics and Molecular Medicine, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
| | - Mohammad Faruq
- Department of Genomics and Molecular Medicine, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
| | - Tashi Thinlas
- Department of Medicine, Sonam Norboo Memorial Hospital, Leh, Ladakh, India
| | - Brian B. Graham
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Qadar Pasha
- Department of Genomics and Molecular Medicine, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
- Institute of Hypoxia Research, New Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Qadar Pasha,
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21
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Cossin-Sevrin N, Hsu BY, Marciau C, Viblanc VA, Ruuskanen S, Stier A. Effect of prenatal glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones on developmental plasticity of mitochondrial aerobic metabolism, growth and survival: an experimental test in wild great tits. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:jeb243414. [PMID: 35420125 PMCID: PMC10216743 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Developmental plasticity is partly mediated by transgenerational effects, including those mediated by the maternal endocrine system. Glucocorticoid and thyroid hormones may play central roles in developmental programming through their action on metabolism and growth. However, the mechanisms by which they affect growth and development remain understudied. One hypothesis is that maternal hormones directly affect the production and availability of energy-carrying molecules (e.g. ATP) by their action on mitochondrial function. To test this hypothesis, we experimentally increased glucocorticoid and thyroid hormones in wild great tit eggs (Parus major) to investigate their impact on offspring mitochondrial aerobic metabolism (measured in blood cells), and subsequent growth and survival. We show that prenatal glucocorticoid supplementation affected offspring cellular aerobic metabolism by decreasing mitochondrial density, maximal mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation, while increasing the proportion of the maximum capacity being used under endogenous conditions. Prenatal glucocorticoid supplementation only had mild effects on offspring body mass, size and condition during the rearing period, but led to a sex-specific (females only) decrease in body mass a few months after fledging. Contrary to our expectations, thyroid hormone supplementation did not affect offspring growth or mitochondrial metabolism. Recapture probability as juveniles or adults was not significantly affected by prenatal hormonal treatment. Our results demonstrate that prenatal glucocorticoids can affect post-natal mitochondrial density and aerobic metabolism. The weak effects on growth and apparent survival suggest that nestlings were mostly able to compensate for the transient decrease in mitochondrial aerobic metabolism induced by prenatal glucocorticoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Cossin-Sevrin
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Coline Marciau
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, TAS 7004, Australia
| | - Vincent A. Viblanc
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Antoine Stier
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
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22
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Daskalakis NP, Meijer OC, de Kloet ER. Mineralocorticoid receptor and glucocorticoid receptor work alone and together in cell-type-specific manner: Implications for resilience prediction and targeted therapy. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 18:100455. [PMID: 35601687 PMCID: PMC9118500 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
'You can't roll the clock back and reverse the effects of experiences' Bruce McEwen used to say when explaining how allostasis labels the adaptive process. Here we will for once roll the clock back to the times that the science of the glucocorticoid hormone was honored with a Nobel prize and highlight the discovery of their receptors in the hippocampus as inroad to its current status as master regulator in control of stress coping and adaptation. Glucocorticoids operate in concert with numerous neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and other hormones with the aim to facilitate processing of information in the neurocircuitry of stress, from anticipation and perception of a novel experience to behavioral adaptation and memory storage. This action, exerted by the glucocorticoids, is guided by two complementary receptor systems, mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR), that need to be balanced for a healthy stress response pattern. Here we discuss the cellular, neuroendocrine, and behavioral studies underlying the MR:GR balance concept, highlight the relevance of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) -axis patterns and note the limited understanding yet of sexual dimorphism in glucocorticoid actions. We conclude with the prospect that (i) genetically and epigenetically regulated receptor variants dictate cell-type-specific transcriptome signatures of stress-related neuropsychiatric symptoms and (ii) selective receptor modulators are becoming available for more targeted treatment. These two new developments may help to 'restart the clock' with the prospect to support resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Onno C. Meijer
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - E. Ron de Kloet
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
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23
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Leach DA, Brooke GN, Bevan CL. Roles of steroid receptors in the lung and COVID-19. Essays Biochem 2021; 65:1025-1038. [PMID: 34328182 PMCID: PMC8628186 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20210005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 symptoms and mortality are largely due to its devastating effects in the lungs. The disease is caused by the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)-CoV-2 coronavirus, which requires host cell proteins such as ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) and TMPRSS2 (transmembrane serine protease 2) for infection of lung epithelia. The expression and function of the steroid hormone receptor family is important in many aspects that impact on COVID-19 effects in the lung - notably lung development and function, the immune system, and expression of TMPRSS2 and ACE2. This review provides a brief summary of current knowledge on the roles of the steroid hormone receptors [androgen receptor (AR), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), progesterone receptor (PR), mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and oestrogen receptor (ER)] in the lung, their effects on host cell proteins that facilitate SARS-CoV-2 uptake, and provides a snapshot of current clinical trials investigating the use of steroid receptor (SR) ligands to treat COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien A. Leach
- Division of Cancer, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London W12 0NN, U.K
| | - Greg N. Brooke
- Division of Cancer, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London W12 0NN, U.K
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ, U.K
| | - Charlotte L. Bevan
- Division of Cancer, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London W12 0NN, U.K
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24
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Pérez P. The mineralocorticoid receptor in skin disease. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:3178-3189. [PMID: 34788475 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mineralocorticoid Receptor (MR or NR3C2) is expressed in all cell types of the different skin compartments and can be bound and activated by glucocorticoids (GCs) with higher affinity than its closely related glucocorticoid (GC) receptor (GR or NR3C1). As both corticosteroid receptors co-express in skin, and considering the therapeutic relevance of GCs to combat skin inflammatory diseases, it was proposed that several of the major side-effects of topical GCs such as skin atrophy and delayed wound healing were due to unintended activation of the MR. Indeed, cutaneous MR blockade using genetic and pharmacological approaches in mice and human reduced the GC-associated skin atrophy in conditions of endogenous and pharmacological GC excess. While data support the safety of topical MR antagonists combined with GCs, it is crucial to address the efficacy of treatment in skin inflammatory conditions and its impact on the overall metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma Pérez
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV)-CSIC, Valencia, Spain
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25
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Dlamini SN, Lombard Z, Micklesfield LK, Crowther N, Norris SA, Snyman T, Crawford AA, Walker BR, Goedecke JH. Glucocorticoids associate with cardiometabolic risk factors in black South Africans. Endocr Connect 2021; 10:873-884. [PMID: 34261039 PMCID: PMC8346194 DOI: 10.1530/ec-21-0195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Circulating glucocorticoids are associated with metabolic syndrome and related cardiometabolic risk factors in non-Africans. This study investigated these associations in Africans, whose metabolic phenotype reportedly differs from Europeans. Adiposity, blood pressure, glycaemia, insulin resistance, and lipid profile, were measured in 316 African men and 788 African women living in Soweto, Johannesburg. The 2009 harmonized criteria were used to define metabolic syndrome. Serum glucocorticoids were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Cortisol was associated with greater odds presenting with metabolic syndrome (odds ratio (95% CI) =1.50 (1.04, 2.17) and higher systolic (beta coefficient, β (95% CI) =0.04 (0.01, 0.08)) and diastolic (0.05 (0.02, 0.09)) blood pressure, but higher HDL (0.10 (0.02, 0.19)) and lower LDL (-0.14 (-0.24, -0.03)) cholesterol concentrations, in the combined sample of men and women. In contrast, corticosterone was only associated with higher insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index; 0.22 (0.03, 0.41)), but this was not independent of BMI. Sex-specific associations were observed, such that both cortisol and corticosterone were associated with higher fasting glucose (standardized β (95% CI): 0.24 (0.12, 0.36) for cortisol and 0.12 (0.01, 0.23) for corticosterone) and HbA1c (0.13 (0.01, 0.25) for cortisol and 0.12 (0.01, 0.24) for corticosterone) in men only, but lower HbA1c (0.10 (-0.20, -0.01) for cortisol and -0.09 (-0.18, -0.03) for corticosterone) in women only. Our study reports for the first time that associations between circulating glucocorticoid concentrations and key cardiometabolic risk factors exhibit both glucocorticoid- and sex-specificity in Africans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siphiwe N Dlamini
- SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Non-communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Zané Lombard
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service, and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Lisa K Micklesfield
- SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Nigel Crowther
- Department of Chemical Pathology, National Health Laboratory Service and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Shane A Norris
- SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Tracy Snyman
- Department of Chemical Pathology, National Health Laboratory Service and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Andrew A Crawford
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Brian R Walker
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Institute of Genetic Medicine to Translational & Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Julia H Goedecke
- SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Non-communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
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26
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Brinks J, van Dijk EHC, Klaassen I, Schlingemann RO, Kielbasa SM, Emri E, Quax PHA, Bergen AA, Meijer OC, Boon CJF. Exploring the choroidal vascular labyrinth and its molecular and structural roles in health and disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 2021; 87:100994. [PMID: 34280556 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2021.100994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The choroid is a key player in maintaining ocular homeostasis and plays a role in a variety of chorioretinal diseases, many of which are poorly understood. Recent advances in the field of single-cell RNA sequencing have yielded valuable insights into the properties of choroidal endothelial cells (CECs). Here, we review the role of the choroid in various physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms, focusing on the role of CECs. We also discuss new insights regarding the phenotypic properties of CECs, CEC subpopulations, and the value of measuring transcriptomics in primary CEC cultures derived from post-mortem eyes. In addition, we discuss key phenotypic, structural, and functional differences that distinguish CECs from other endothelial cells such as retinal vascular endothelial cells. Understanding the specific clinical and molecular properties of the choroid will shed new light on the pathogenesis of the broad clinical range of chorioretinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, central serous chorioretinopathy and other diseases within the pachychoroid spectrum, uveitis, and diabetic choroidopathy. Although our knowledge is still relatively limited with respect to the clinical features and molecular pathways that underlie these chorioretinal diseases, we summarise new approaches and discuss future directions for gaining new insights into these sight-threatening diseases and highlight new therapeutic strategies such as pluripotent stem cell‒based technologies and gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Brinks
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - E H C van Dijk
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - I Klaassen
- Ocular Angiogenesis Group, Departments of Ophthalmology and Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - R O Schlingemann
- Ocular Angiogenesis Group, Departments of Ophthalmology and Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lausanne, Jules Gonin Eye Hospital, Fondation Asile des Aveugles, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - S M Kielbasa
- Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - E Emri
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Section of Ophthalmogenetics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - P H A Quax
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - A A Bergen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Section of Ophthalmogenetics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - O C Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - C J F Boon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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27
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Cook CJ, Fourie P, Crewther BT. Menstrual variation in the acute testosterone and cortisol response to laboratory stressors correlate with baseline testosterone fluctuations at a within- and between-person level. Stress 2021; 24:458-467. [PMID: 33287617 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1860937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have compared HPA and HPG stress reactivity across the follicular and luteal phases to assess the menstrual impact of estradiol and progesterone fluctuations. Ovulatory shifts in baseline and stressor-induced testosterone among athletic women offer a new framework to explore these responses. Here we investigated menstrual variation in baseline testosterone as a predictor of the acute testosterone and cortisol response to laboratory stressors in female athletes. Using a semi-randomized crossover design, thirty athletic women completed a physical (4 × 6-s bike sprints) and psychological (5 × 2-min cognitive tests with social evaluation) stressor on day seven (D7), 14 (D14), and 21 (D21) of a menstrual cycle. Baseline fluctuations and acute changes in salivary testosterone and cortisol were measured. The D14 testosterone response to both stressors (13.7%) exceeded D7 (7.3%) and D21 (7.0%), whereas cortisol was less responsive on D14 (9.8%) than D7 (13.0%) and D21 (12.0%); all moderate to large effect size differences (p < 0.01). Baseline testosterone, which presented large individual and menstrual variation with a D14 peak, was significantly related (moderate correlations) to testosterone and cortisol stress reactivity on a between-person level. Both outcomes were related (weak correlations) to within-person fluctuations in baseline testosterone, but these effects were mediated by testing day. In conclusion, menstrual variation in baseline testosterone concentration correlated with testosterone and cortisol reactivity to a physical and psychological stressor. Thus, gradients of stressor-induced hormonal change showed some dependency to endogenous testosterone, both individual differences and fluctuations over time, among naturally cycling athletic women.Lay summaryThe female menstrual cycle is accompanied by dramatic shifts in estradiol and progesterone concentration, but less is known about testosterone variability and its role in stress regulation. In this study, menstrual fluctuations in baseline testosterone concentration correlated with acute testosterone and cortisol reactivity to laboratory stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian J Cook
- Biomedical Discipline School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
- Hamlyn Centre, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Phillip Fourie
- Biomedical Discipline School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | - Blair T Crewther
- Hamlyn Centre, Imperial College, London, UK
- Institute of Sport - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
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28
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Kroon J, Viho EMG, Gentenaar M, Koorneef LL, van Kooten C, Rensen PCN, Kooijman S, Hunt H, Meijer OC. The development of novel glucocorticoid receptor antagonists: From rational chemical design to therapeutic efficacy in metabolic disease models. Pharmacol Res 2021; 168:105588. [PMID: 33798733 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids regulate numerous processes in human physiology, but deregulated or excessive glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling contributes to the development of various pathologies including metabolic syndrome. For this reason, GR antagonists have considerable therapeutic value. Yet, the only GR antagonist that is clinically approved to date - mifepristone - exhibits cross-reactivity with other nuclear steroid receptors like the progesterone receptor. In this study, we set out to identify novel selective GR antagonists by combining rational chemical design with an unbiased in vitro and in vivo screening approach. Using this pipeline, we were able to identify CORT125329 as the compound with the best overall profile from our octahydro series of novel GR antagonists, and demonstrated that CORT125329 does not exhibit cross-reactivity with the progesterone receptor. Further in vivo testing showed beneficial activities of CORT125329 in models for excessive corticosterone exposure and short- and long-term high-fat diet-induced metabolic complications. Upon CORT125329 treatment, most metabolic parameters that deteriorated upon high-fat diet feeding were similarly improved in male and female mice, confirming activity in both sexes. However, some sexually dimorphic effects were observed including male-specific antagonism of GR activity in brown adipose tissue and female-specific lipid lowering activities after short-term CORT125329 treatment. Remarkably, CORT125329 exhibits beneficial metabolic effects despite its lack of GR antagonism in white adipose tissue. Rather, we propose that CORT125329 treatment restores metabolic activity in brown adipose tissue by stimulating lipolysis, mitochondrial activity and thermogenic capacity. In summary, we have identified CORT125329 as a selective GR antagonist with strong beneficial activities in metabolic disease models, paving the way for further clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Kroon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Eva M G Viho
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Max Gentenaar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa L Koorneef
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Cees van Kooten
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick C N Rensen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Kooijman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hazel Hunt
- Corcept Therapeutics, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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29
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Moisan MP. Sexual Dimorphism in Glucocorticoid Stress Response. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063139. [PMID: 33808655 PMCID: PMC8003420 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress is encountered in our everyday life and is thought to contribute to a number of diseases. Many of these stress-related disorders display a sex bias. Because glucocorticoid hormones are the main biological mediator of chronic stress, researchers have been interested in understanding the sexual dimorphism in glucocorticoid stress response to better explain the sex bias in stress-related diseases. Although not yet demonstrated for glucocorticoid regulation, sex chromosomes do influence sex-specific biology as soon as conception. Then a transient rise in testosterone start to shape the male brain during the prenatal period differently to the female brain. These organizational effects are completed just before puberty. The cerebral regions implicated in glucocorticoid regulation at rest and after stress are thereby impacted in a sex-specific manner. After puberty, the high levels of all gonadal hormones will interact with glucocorticoid hormones in specific crosstalk through their respective nuclear receptors. In addition, stress occurring early in life, in particular during the prenatal period and in adolescence will prime in the long-term glucocorticoid stress response through epigenetic mechanisms, again in a sex-specific manner. Altogether, various molecular mechanisms explain sex-specific glucocorticoid stress responses that do not exclude important gender effects in humans.
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30
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Matera MG, Ora J, Calzetta L, Rogliani P, Cazzola M. Sex differences in COPD management. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2021; 14:323-332. [PMID: 33560876 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2021.1888713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: A growing body of evidence indicates that prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been increasing more rapidly among women compared to men, but the available data on the differences between the sexes in the responses to the various COPD therapies are still scarce.Areas covered: The aim of this narrative review is to provide an overview of current knowledge on sex differences in COPD management.Expert opinion: There is no solid evidence of sex differences in response to usual COPD treatments but there are sex-related differences in management of patients with a clinical diagnosis of COPD. It is difficult to explain the reason for these differences, but most likely they are due to local prescribing habits, rather than solid scientific reasons. However, there are also signals of different sex-related responses, the qualification and quantification of which is difficult with the information currently available. These signals should lead to the inclusion of more women in clinical trials, but also to the design of prospective clinical studies to assess the possible differences linked to sex in COPD treatment responses, whose identification is an important step toward the definition of personalized COPD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gabriella Matera
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Josuel Ora
- Respiratory Diseases Unit, "Tor Vergata" University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigino Calzetta
- Unit of Respiratory Disease and Lung Function Dept. Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, ParmaItaly
| | - Paola Rogliani
- Respiratory Diseases Unit, "Tor Vergata" University Hospital, Rome, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Cazzola
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
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31
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A physiological glucocorticoid rhythm is an important regulator of brown adipose tissue function. Mol Metab 2021; 47:101179. [PMID: 33548499 PMCID: PMC7907824 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Brown adipose tissue (BAT) displays a strong circadian rhythm in metabolic activity, but it is unclear how this rhythm is regulated. As circulating levels of corticosterone coincide with the rhythm of triglyceride-derived fatty acid (FA) uptake by BAT, we investigated whether corticosterone regulates BAT circadian rhythm. Methods Corticosterone levels were flattened by implanting mice with subcutaneous corticosterone-releasing pellets, resulting in constant circulating corticosterone levels. Results Flattened corticosterone rhythm caused a complete loss of circadian rhythm in triglyceride-derived fatty acid uptake by BAT. This effect was independent of glucocorticoid receptor expression in (brown) adipocytes and was not caused by deregulation of clock gene expression or overexposure to glucocorticoids, but rather seemed mediated by reduced sympathetic innervation of BAT. In a mouse model of hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome, long-term experimental flattening of corticosterone − and thus rhythm in BAT function − resulted in adiposity. Conclusions This study highlights that a physiological rhythm in glucocorticoids is an important regulator of BAT function and essential for the maintenance of metabolic health. Flattening of corticosterone rhythm blunts circadian activity of brown adipose tissue. Disturbed corticosterone rhythm − rather than overexposure− is responsible for blunted brown adipose tissue activity. The metabolic effect of flattened corticosterone levels is independent of adipocyte glucocorticoid receptor expression. Long-term flattening of corticosterone levels results in increased adiposity in a female mouse model for metabolic syndrome.
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32
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Kaikaew K, Grefhorst A, Visser JA. Sex Differences in Brown Adipose Tissue Function: Sex Hormones, Glucocorticoids, and Their Crosstalk. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:652444. [PMID: 33927694 PMCID: PMC8078866 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.652444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Excessive fat accumulation in the body causes overweight and obesity. To date, research has confirmed that there are two types of adipose tissue with opposing functions: lipid-storing white adipose tissue (WAT) and lipid-burning brown adipose tissue (BAT). After the rediscovery of the presence of metabolically active BAT in adults, BAT has received increasing attention especially since activation of BAT is considered a promising way to combat obesity and associated comorbidities. It has become clear that energy homeostasis differs between the sexes, which has a significant impact on the development of pathological conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Sex differences in BAT activity may contribute to this and, therefore, it is important to address the underlying mechanisms that contribute to sex differences in BAT activity. In this review, we discuss the role of sex hormones in the regulation of BAT activity under physiological and some pathological conditions. Given the increasing number of studies suggesting a crosstalk between sex hormones and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in metabolism, we also discuss this crosstalk in relation to sex differences in BAT activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasiphak Kaikaew
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Aldo Grefhorst
- Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jenny A. Visser
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Jenny A. Visser,
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33
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Kroon J, Meijer OC. Sex and Stress Steroid Crosstalk Reviewed: Give Us More. J Endocr Soc 2020; 4:bvaa113. [PMID: 32939438 PMCID: PMC7485787 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaa113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Kroon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
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34
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Huang L, Chen Y, Xiao J, Luo W, Li F, Wang Y, Wang Y, Wang Y. Progress in the Research and Development of Anti-COVID-19 Drugs. Front Public Health 2020; 8:365. [PMID: 32733842 PMCID: PMC7358523 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The outbreaks of COVID-19 due to SARS-CoV-2 has caused serious physical and psychological damage to global human health. COVID-19 spread rapidly around the world in a short time. Confronted with such a highly infectious respiratory disease, the research and development of anti-COVID-19 drugs became an urgent work due to the lack of specific drugs for the treatment of COVID-19. Nevertheless, several existing drugs are available to relieve the clinical symptoms of COVID-19. We reviewed information on selected anti-SARS-CoV-2 candidate therapeutic agents published until June 2, 2020. We also discussed the strategies of the development of anti-COVID-19 drugs in the future. Our review provides a novel insight into the future development of a safer, efficient, and toxic-less anti-COVID-19 drug.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yiliang Wang
- Guangzhou Jinan Biomedicine Research and Development Center, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yifei Wang
- Guangzhou Jinan Biomedicine Research and Development Center, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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35
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Ruiz D, Padmanabhan V, Sargis RM. Stress, Sex, and Sugar: Glucocorticoids and Sex-Steroid Crosstalk in the Sex-Specific Misprogramming of Metabolism. J Endocr Soc 2020; 4:bvaa087. [PMID: 32734132 PMCID: PMC7382384 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaa087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life exposures to environmental insults can misprogram development and increase metabolic disease risk in a sex-dependent manner by mechanisms that remain poorly characterized. Modifiable factors of increasing public health relevance, such as diet, psychological stress, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, can affect glucocorticoid receptor signaling during gestation and lead to sex-specific postnatal metabolic derangements. Evidence from humans and animal studies indicate that glucocorticoids crosstalk with sex steroids by several mechanisms in multiple tissues and can affect sex-steroid-dependent developmental processes. Nonetheless, glucocorticoid sex-steroid crosstalk has not been considered in the glucocorticoid-induced misprogramming of metabolism. Herein we review what is known about the mechanisms by which glucocorticoids crosstalk with estrogen, androgen, and progestogen action. We propose that glucocorticoid sex-steroid crosstalk is an understudied mechanism of action that requires consideration when examining the developmental misprogramming of metabolism, especially when assessing sex-specific outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ruiz
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Robert M Sargis
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism; Department of Medicine; University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Chicago Center for Health and Environment, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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