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Ghaddar B, Diotel N. Zebrafish: A New Promise to Study the Impact of Metabolic Disorders on the Brain. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105372. [PMID: 35628176 PMCID: PMC9141892 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish has become a popular model to study many physiological and pathophysiological processes in humans. In recent years, it has rapidly emerged in the study of metabolic disorders, namely, obesity and diabetes, as the regulatory mechanisms and metabolic pathways of glucose and lipid homeostasis are highly conserved between fish and mammals. Zebrafish is also widely used in the field of neurosciences to study brain plasticity and regenerative mechanisms due to the high maintenance and activity of neural stem cells during adulthood. Recently, a large body of evidence has established that metabolic disorders can alter brain homeostasis, leading to neuro-inflammation and oxidative stress and causing decreased neurogenesis. To date, these pathological metabolic conditions are also risk factors for the development of cognitive dysfunctions and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we first aim to describe the main metabolic models established in zebrafish to demonstrate their similarities with their respective mammalian/human counterparts. Then, in the second part, we report the impact of metabolic disorders (obesity and diabetes) on brain homeostasis with a particular focus on the blood-brain barrier, neuro-inflammation, oxidative stress, cognitive functions and brain plasticity. Finally, we propose interesting signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms to be explored in order to better understand how metabolic disorders can negatively impact neural stem cell activity.
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Brix JM, Tura A, Herz CT, Feder A, Krzizek EC, Parzer V, Pacini G, Ludvik B. The Association of Cortisol Excretion with Weight and Metabolic Parameters in Nondiabetic Patients with Morbid Obesity. Obes Facts 2021; 14:510-519. [PMID: 34496367 PMCID: PMC8546449 DOI: 10.1159/000517766] [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: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cortisol is involved in the regulation of gluconeogenesis and glucose utilization. In morbid obesity (MO), the association of cortisol excretion with metabolic parameters is not well-characterized. In our study, we evaluated cortisol excretion in nondiabetic subjects with MO and its effect on glucose metabolism. METHODS We included 1,249 nondiabetic patients with MO (79.8% females, mean BMI 44.9 ± 6.5 kg/m2, mean age 38 ± 11 years). Anthropometric data and cardiovascular risk factors were assessed, and an oral glucose tolerance test for calculation of insulin resistance was performed. Cortisol excretion was assessed on 2 consecutive days (24 h urine specimens). RESULTS Regarding cortisol excretion, patients were divided into 3 tertiles (urinary cortisol ≤51.6, >51.6 and <117.6, and ≥117.6 μg/24 h, respectively). Patients in the highest tertile were younger (p = 0.003), more obese (BMI: p = 0.040), had lower diastolic blood pressure ([DBP]; p = 0.012), lower total (p = 0.032) and LDL cholesterol (p = 0.021), fasting (p = 0.049) and 2-h glycemia (p = 0.028), 2-h insulinemia (p = 0.020), and HbA1c (p < 0.001), and a higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (p < 0.001). The glucose (p < 0.001) and insulin (p = 0.011) area under the curve (AUC) were also lower. Urinary cortisol excretion adjusted for age, sex, and eGFR was positively correlated with body weight (BW, beta = 0.076, p = 0.004) and overall glucose tolerance (oral disposition index, beta = 0.090, p = 0.011), and negatively with HbA1c (beta = -0.179, p < 0.001), 2-h glycemia (beta = -0.075, p = 0.032), AUC glucose (beta = -0.103, p = 0.002), and DBP (beta = -0.139, p < 0.001). HbA1c, BW, and DBP remained significant after multivariable analysis. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Despite being more obese, patients with higher cortisol excretion have a more favorable metabolic profile. These results deserve further attention regarding the respective mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Maria Brix
- Department of Medicine I, Klinik Landstraße, Vienna, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute for Obesity and Metabolic Disorders, Vienna, Austria
- *Johanna Maria Brix,
| | - Andrea Tura
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Metabolix Unit, Padova, Italy
| | - Carsten Thilo Herz
- Department of Medicine III, Division for Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Astrid Feder
- Department of Medicine I, Klinik Landstraße, Vienna, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute for Obesity and Metabolic Disorders, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva-Christina Krzizek
- Department of Medicine I, Klinik Landstraße, Vienna, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute for Obesity and Metabolic Disorders, Vienna, Austria
| | - Verena Parzer
- Department of Medicine I, Klinik Landstraße, Vienna, Austria
| | - Giovanni Pacini
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Metabolix Unit, Padova, Italy
| | - Bernhard Ludvik
- Department of Medicine I, Klinik Landstraße, Vienna, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute for Obesity and Metabolic Disorders, Vienna, Austria
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Akalestou E, Genser L, Rutter GA. Glucocorticoid Metabolism in Obesity and Following Weight Loss. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:59. [PMID: 32153504 PMCID: PMC7045057 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex and are essential for the maintenance of various metabolic and homeostatic functions. Their function is regulated at the tissue level by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases and they signal through the glucocorticoid receptor, a ligand-dependent transcription factor. Clinical observations have linked excess glucocorticoid levels with profound metabolic disturbances of intermediate metabolism resulting in abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia. In this review, we discuss the physiological mechanisms of glucocorticoid secretion, regulation and function, and survey the metabolic consequences of excess glucocorticoid action resulting from elevated release and activation or up-regulated signaling. Finally, we summarize the reported impact of weight loss by diet, exercise, or bariatric surgery on circulating and tissue-specific glucocorticoid levels and examine the therapeutic possibility of reversing glucocorticoid-associated metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Akalestou
- Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laurent Genser
- Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Digestive and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Liver Transplantation, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire ICAN, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Guy A. Rutter
- Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Guy A. Rutter
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Gagnon SS, Nindl BC, Vaara JP, Santtila M, Häkkinen K, Kyröläinen H. Basal Endogenous Steroid Hormones, Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin, Physical Fitness, and Health Risk Factors in Young Adult Men. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1005. [PMID: 30100880 PMCID: PMC6072857 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Few large-scale population-based studies have adequately examined the relationships between steroid hormones, health status and physical fitness. The purpose of the study was to describe the relationship of serum basal endogenous steroid hormones (testosterone, TES; empirical free testosterone, EFT; cortisol, COR) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) to body composition, cardiovascular risk factors, and physical fitness in young healthy men. Methods: Male reservists (25 ± 4 years, N = 846) participated in the study. Basal TES, EFT, COR, and SHBG were measured in morning fasted blood. Stepwise regression analyses were used to examine associations between individual hormones to four separate categories: (1) body composition; (2) cardiovascular risk factors; (3) relative, and (4) absolute physical fitness. Results: Higher TES, EFT, and SHBG were associated with lower waist circumference (TES: β = -0.239, p < 0.001; EFT: β = -0.385, p < 0.001), % body fat (TES: β = -0.163, p = 0.003), and body mass index (SHBG: β = -0.435, p < 0.001). Lower cardiovascular risk factors were associated with higher TES, EFT and SHBG concentrations, especially between SHBG and triglycerides (β = -0.277, p < 0.001) and HDL (β = 0.154, p < 0.001). Greater maximal relative aerobic capacity was concurrent with higher TES, EFT, and SHBG (β = 0.171, 0.113, 0.263, p < 0.001, =0.005, <0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Higher basal concentrations of TES, EFT, and SHBG were weakly associated with healthier body composition, fewer cardiovascular risk factors and greater relative aerobic capacity in healthy young men. It would be interesting to investigate whether these relationships are still evident after a few decades, and how different training modes (endurance, strength or their combination) positively affect physical fitness, body composition and their regulatory mechanisms over the decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila S Gagnon
- Neuromuscular Research Center, Biology of Physical Activity, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Wolf Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Bradley C Nindl
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jani P Vaara
- Neuromuscular Research Center, Biology of Physical Activity, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Department of Leadership and Military Pedagogy, National Defence University, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Matti Santtila
- Personnel Division, Defence Command, Finnish Defence Forces, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Keijo Häkkinen
- Neuromuscular Research Center, Biology of Physical Activity, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Heikki Kyröläinen
- Neuromuscular Research Center, Biology of Physical Activity, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Department of Leadership and Military Pedagogy, National Defence University, Helsinki, Finland
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Majzoub JA, Topor LS. A New Model for Adrenarche: Inhibition of 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 by Intra-Adrenal Cortisol. Horm Res Paediatr 2018; 89:311-319. [PMID: 29847819 PMCID: PMC6031466 DOI: 10.1159/000488777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose that the normal adrenarche-related rise in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) secretion is ultimately caused by the rise in cortisol production occurring during childhood and adolescent growth, by the following mechanisms. (1) The onset of childhood growth leads to a slight fall in serum cortisol concentration due to growth-induced dilution and a decrease in the negative feedback of cortisol upon ACTH secretion. (2) In response, ACTH rises and stimulates increased cortisol synthesis and secretion in the growing body to restore the serum cortisol concentration to normal. (3) The cortisol concentration produced within and taken up by adrenocortical steroidogenic cells may rise during this time. (4) Cortisol competitively inhibits 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (3βHSD2)-mediated conversion of 17αOH-pregnenolone to cortisol, causing a further fall in serum cortisol, a further decrease in the negative feedback of cortisol upon ACTH, a further rise in ACTH, and further stimulation of adrenal steroidogenesis. (5) The cortisol-mediated inhibition of 3βHSD2 also blocks the conversion of DHEA to androstenedione, causing a rise in adrenal DHEA and DHEA sulfate relative to androstenedione secretion. Thus, the combination of normal body growth plus inhibition of 3βHSD2 by intra-adrenal cortisol may cause normal adrenarche. Childhood obesity may hasten this process by causing a pathologic increase in body size that triggers these same processes at an earlier age, resulting in the premature onset of adrenarche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A. Majzoub
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Lisa Swartz Topor
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903
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Peeters B, Langouche L, Van den Berghe G. Adrenocortical Stress Response during the Course of Critical Illness. Compr Physiol 2017; 8:283-298. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c170022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Rogers SL, Hughes BA, Tomlinson JW, Blissett J. Cortisol metabolism, postnatal depression and weight changes in the first 12 months postpartum. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2016; 85:881-890. [PMID: 27374760 DOI: 10.1111/cen.13150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Postnatal depression correlates with postpartum weight retention, and dysregulated cortisol metabolism is evident in depressed individuals. Cortisol metabolism, BMI and metabolic phenotype are robustly associated, but the role of cortisol metabolism in postnatal mental health and weight loss has never been examined. DESIGN A longitudinal observation. PATIENTS Forty nine healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancy. MEASUREMENTS BMI and urinary steroid metabolites at 1 week and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum. Validated urinary steroid metabolite ratios were measured to determine the activities of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (11β-HSD) that interconvert inactive cortisone and active cortisol and the 5α-reductases that clear cortisol to its inactive metabolites. Postnatal depression symptoms were measured at 1, 6 and 12 months. RESULTS Low 5α-reductase activity was associated with greater weight loss across the first year, independent of demographics, breastfeeding and depression. Postpartum BMI change was unrelated to postnatal depression at any time. Symptoms of postnatal depression were related to higher cortisol metabolite production at 12 months, independent of demographics and breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS Greatest weight loss in the postpartum year was associated with lower conversion of cortisone to cortisol and lower conversion of cortisol to its metabolites, supporting previous work that demonstrates the facilitative role of lower 5α-reductase and 11β-HSD-1 in weight loss. Greater depression symptoms were associated with higher cortisol metabolite production rates. Whilst weight and mental health are both associated with dysregulation of the HPA axis, there may be different pathways towards depressed and obese phenotypes in healthy postpartum samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Rogers
- Department of Psychology and Sports Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Birmingham, UK
| | - B A Hughes
- Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Birmingham, UK
| | - J W Tomlinson
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Oxford University, Birmingham, UK
| | - J Blissett
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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Roelfsema F, Pereira AM, Veldhuis JD. Impact of Adiposity and Fat Distribution on the Dynamics of Adrenocorticotropin and Cortisol Rhythms. Curr Obes Rep 2014; 3:387-95. [PMID: 26626915 DOI: 10.1007/s13679-014-0118-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Obesity impacts many hormonal systems, including pituitary hormones, as well as insulin and leptin. In this review we discuss articles which investigate the influence of obesity on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Different techniques have been used to assess the function of the HPA-axis in obesity, including measuring fasting and/or late evening levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and (free) cortisol in plasma and saliva, studying feedback with dexamethasone or cortisol, and evaluating responsiveness of the system to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) or ACTH 1-29. In addition, more elaborate studies investigated 24-h secretion patterns, analyzed with deconvolution techniques to quantitate pulsatile secretion rates of cortisol and less often ACTH. Other investigators used timed infusions of labeled cortisol for the estimation of the 24-h secretion rate, clearance rate and distribution volume. Many studies relied on the 24-h urinary excretion of free cortisol, but for quantitation of the 24-h secretion, measurement of all cortisol-derived metabolites is required. Several studies have applied modern liquid chromatography-tandem-mass spectrometry techniques to measure these metabolites. The picture emerging from all these studies is that, first, ACTH secretion is amplified, likely via enhanced forward drive; and, second, serum cortisol levels are normal or even low, associated with a normal 24-h cortisol secretion per liter distribution volume determined by deconvolution, but enhanced when based on the increased total distribution volume associated with obesity. Increased cortisol secretion was also established by isotope dilution studies and reports based on the measurement of all urinary cortisol metabolites. The responsiveness of the adrenal gland to ACTH is diminished. The studies do not address quantitative aspects of cortisol-cortisone metabolism on individual organs, including liver, central and peripheral fat, intestine, skin, and muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdinand Roelfsema
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Alberto M Pereira
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes D Veldhuis
- Endocrine Research Unit, Mayo Medical and Graduate Schools, Clinical Translational Research Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55901, USA
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Mardinoglu A, Agren R, Kampf C, Asplund A, Nookaew I, Jacobson P, Walley AJ, Froguel P, Carlsson LM, Uhlen M, Nielsen J. Integration of clinical data with a genome-scale metabolic model of the human adipocyte. Mol Syst Biol 2013; 9:649. [PMID: 23511207 PMCID: PMC3619940 DOI: 10.1038/msb.2013.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2012] [Accepted: 02/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the presence/absence of proteins encoded by 14 077 genes in adipocytes obtained from different tissue samples using immunohistochemistry. By combining this with previously published adipocyte-specific proteome data, we identified proteins associated with 7340 genes in human adipocytes. This information was used to reconstruct a comprehensive and functional genome-scale metabolic model of adipocyte metabolism. The resulting metabolic model, iAdipocytes1809, enables mechanistic insights into adipocyte metabolism on a genome-wide level, and can serve as a scaffold for integration of omics data to understand the genotype-phenotype relationship in obese subjects. By integrating human transcriptome and fluxome data, we found an increase in the metabolic activity around androsterone, ganglioside GM2 and degradation products of heparan sulfate and keratan sulfate, and a decrease in mitochondrial metabolic activities in obese subjects compared with lean subjects. Our study hereby shows a path to identify new therapeutic targets for treating obesity through combination of high throughput patient data and metabolic modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adil Mardinoglu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Rasmus Agren
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Caroline Kampf
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Asplund
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Intawat Nookaew
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Peter Jacobson
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine and Center for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Andrew J Walley
- Department of Genomics of Common Diseases, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Philippe Froguel
- Department of Genomics of Common Diseases, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 8199, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Pasteur Institute, Lille, France
| | - Lena M Carlsson
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine and Center for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mathias Uhlen
- Department of Proteomics, School of Biotechnology, AlbaNova University Center, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jens Nielsen
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Müssig K, Remer T, Maser-Gluth C. Brief review: glucocorticoid excretion in obesity. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2010; 121:589-93. [PMID: 20109546 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2010.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2009] [Revised: 01/12/2010] [Accepted: 01/19/2010] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Cortisol secretion and glucocorticoid excretion rates are regularly increased in obesity and associate with indices of body size and visceral adiposity. Different mechanisms may underlie the elevated urinary excretion rates of cortisol metabolites in obesity. In the present brief overview, potential mechanisms are discussed, paying special attention to cortisol metabolism. Besides, potential confounding factors in the evaluation of urinary glucocorticoid excretion are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karsten Müssig
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Angiology, Nephrology, and Clinical Chemistry, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Tübingen, Germany.
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Romero MDM, Vilà R, Fernández-López JA, Esteve M, Alemany M. Oleoyl-estrone increases adrenal corticosteroid synthesis gene expression in overweight male rats. Steroids 2010; 75:20-6. [PMID: 19793540 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2009.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2009] [Revised: 09/09/2009] [Accepted: 09/20/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Oleoyl-estrone (OE) induces a marked loss of body fat in rats by maintaining energy expenditure, body protein and blood glucose despite decreasing food intake. OE increases glucocorticoids, but they arrest OE lipid-mobilization. We studied here whether OE induces a direct effect on adrenal glands function as part of this feedback regulation. Dietary overweight male rats were given oral 10nmol/g OE gavages for ten days. A group (PF) of pair-fed to OE rats, and controls received vehicle-only gavages. OE rats lost slightly more body than PF, but had larger adrenal glands. Tissue corticosterone levels, and gene expressions for glucocorticoid-synthesizing enzymes were increased in OE versus controls and PF; thus, we assumed that adrenal growth affected essentially its cortex since OE also lowered the expression of the medullar catecholamine synthesis enzyme genes. Serum corticosterone was higher in PF than in OE and controls, but liver expression of corticosteroid-disposing steroid 5alpha-reductase was 3x larger in OE than PF and controls. Circulating glucocorticoids changed little under OE, in spite of higher adrenal gland and liver content, hinting at modulation of glucocorticoid turnover as instrumental in their purported increased activity. In conclusion, we have observed that OE considerable enhanced the expression of the genes controlling the synthesis of glucocorticoids from cholesterol in the rat and increasing the adrenal glands' corticosterone, size and cellularity, but also the liver disposal of corticosteroids, suggesting that OE increases corticosterone synthesis and degradation (i.e. serum turnover), a process not driven by limited energy availability but directly related to the administration of OE.
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Affiliation(s)
- María del Mar Romero
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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Larsson CA, Gullberg B, Råstam L, Lindblad U. Salivary cortisol differs with age and sex and shows inverse associations with WHR in Swedish women: a cross-sectional study. BMC Endocr Disord 2009; 9:16. [PMID: 19545400 PMCID: PMC2711063 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6823-9-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2009] [Accepted: 06/21/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most studies on cortisol have focused on smaller, selected samples. We therefore aimed to sex-specifically study the diurnal cortisol pattern and explore its association with abdominal obesity in a large unselected population. METHODS In 2001-2004, 1811 men and women (30-75 years) were randomly selected from the Vara population, south-western Sweden (81% participation rate). Of these, 1671 subjects with full information on basal morning and evening salivary cortisol and anthropometric measurements were included in this cross-sectional study. Differences between groups were examined by general linear model and by logistic and linear regression analyses. RESULTS Morning and Delta-cortisol (morning - evening cortisol) were significantly higher in women than men. In both genders older age was significantly associated with higher levels of all cortisol measures, however, most consistently with evening cortisol. In women only, age-adjusted means of WHR were significantly lower in the highest compared to the lowest quartile of morning cortisol (p = 0.036) and Delta-cortisol (p < 0.001), respectively. Furthermore, when comparing WHR above and below the mean, the age-adjusted OR in women for the lowest quartile of cortisol compared to the highest was 1.5 (1.0-2.2, p = 0.058) for morning cortisol and 1.9 (1.3-2.8) for Delta-cortisol. All findings for Delta-cortisol remained after adjustments for multiple covariates and were also seen in a linear regression analysis (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION In summary, our findings of generally higher cortisol levels in women than men of all ages are novel and the stronger results seen for Delta-cortisol as opposed to morning cortisol in the association with WHR emphasise the need of studying cortisol variation intra-individually. To our knowledge, the associations in this study have never before been investigated in such a large population sample of both men and women. Our results therefore offer important knowledge on the descriptive characteristics of cortisol in relation to age and gender, and on the impact that associations previously seen between cortisol and abdominal obesity in smaller, selected samples have on a population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A Larsson
- University of Lund, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Community Medicine, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Bo Gullberg
- University of Lund, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Community Medicine, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Lennart Råstam
- University of Lund, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Community Medicine, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Ulf Lindblad
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine/Primary Health Care, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Skaraborg Institute, Skövde, Sweden
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Keenan DM, Roelfsema F, Carroll BJ, Iranmanesh A, Veldhuis JD. Sex defines the age dependence of endogenous ACTH-cortisol dose responsiveness. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2009; 297:R515-23. [PMID: 19535673 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00200.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sex influences adrenal glucocorticoid responses to ACTH in experimental animals. Whether similar sex differences operate in humans is unknown. To test this notion, we estimated ACTH-cortisol dose-response properties analytically in 48 healthy adults (n = 22 women, n = 26 men), ages 18-77 yr, body mass index (BMI) 18-32 kg/m(2), previously studied at two medical centers. Plasma ACTH and cortisol concentrations were measured every 10 min for 24 h. The 145 sample pairs were used in each subject to estimate ACTH-cortisol drive via a logistic function. Statistical analyses revealed that 24-h cortisol secretion (>82% pulsatile) fell in men (r = -0.38, P = 0.028) and rose in women (r = +0.37, P = 0.045) with age (P = 0.01 sex effect). The mechanisms involved decreased ACTH efficacy with age in men (r = -0.35, P = 0.04), and increased ACTH efficacy with age in women (r = +0.42, P = 0.025) [P = 0.009 sex effect]. ACTH potency diminished with higher BMI in men (r = +0.38, P = 0.029) and in the cohort as a whole (r = 0.34, P = 0.0085). These outcomes demonstrate that sex, age, and BMI modulate selective properties of endogenous ACTH-cortisol drive in humans, thereby indicating the need to control these three major variables in experimental comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Keenan
- Department of Statistics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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Purnell JQ, Kahn SE, Samuels MH, Brandon D, Loriaux DL, Brunzell JD. Enhanced cortisol production rates, free cortisol, and 11beta-HSD-1 expression correlate with visceral fat and insulin resistance in men: effect of weight loss. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2009; 296:E351-7. [PMID: 19050176 PMCID: PMC2645022 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.90769.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Controversy exists as to whether endogenous cortisol production is associated with visceral obesity and insulin resistance in humans. We therefore quantified cortisol production and clearance rates, abdominal fat depots, insulin sensitivity, and adipocyte gene expression in a cohort of 24 men. To test whether the relationships found are a consequence rather than a cause of obesity, eight men from this larger group were studied before and after weight loss. Daily cortisol production rates (CPR), free cortisol levels (FC), and metabolic clearance rates (MCR) were measured by stable isotope methodology and 24-h sampling; intra-abdominal fat (IAF) and subcutaneous fat (SQF) by computed tomography; insulin sensitivity (S(I)) by frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test; and adipocyte 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 (11beta-HSD-1) gene expression by quantitative RT-PCR from subcutaneous biopsies. Increased CPR and FC correlated with increased IAF, but not SQF, and with decreased S(I). Increased 11beta-HSD-1 gene expression correlated with both IAF and SQF and with decreased S(I). With weight loss, CPR, FC, and MCR did not change compared with baseline; however, with greater loss in body fat than lean mass during weight loss, both CPR and FC increased proportionally to final fat mass and IAF and 11beta-HSD-1 decreased compared with baseline. These data support a model in which increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity in men promotes selective visceral fat accumulation and insulin resistance and may promote weight regain after diet-induced weight loss, whereas 11beta-HSD-1 gene expression in SQF is a consequence rather than cause of adiposity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Q Purnell
- Oregon Health & Science Univ., Div. of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Clinical Nutrition, Center for the Study of Weight Regulation, L481, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
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15
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Dissociation of ACTH and glucocorticoids. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2008; 19:175-80. [PMID: 18394919 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2008.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2007] [Revised: 01/31/2008] [Accepted: 01/31/2008] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
It is increasingly clear that significant differential regulation of pituitary and adrenal gland activation exists, leading to a dissociation of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosteroid secretion during fetal, postnatal and adult life. An increasing number of preclinical and clinical studies report dissociation of adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels in critical illness, inflammation and mental disorders. Mechanisms involve an altered adrenal sensitivity, aberrant receptor expression or modulation of adrenal function by cytokines, vasoactive factors or neuropeptides. The degree of dissociation has been associated with the level of complications of sepsis, surgery, malignant disease and depression. The separation of adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosteroid secretion is of clinical relevance and should be incorporated into our view on endocrine stress regulation.
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Wudy SA, Hartmann MF, Remer T. Sexual dimorphism in cortisol secretion starts after age 10 in healthy children: urinary cortisol metabolite excretion rates during growth. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2007; 293:E970-6. [PMID: 17638704 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00495.2006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Detailed data on the physiological pattern of adrenocortical activity during normal growth are lacking. An established method to determine adrenocortical glucocorticoid secretion is the measurement of 24-h excretion rates of major urinary cortisol metabolites (C21). To test the hypothesis that the frequently reported higher cortisol secretion in men than in women develops during puberty, we examined C21 together with excretions of combined urinary free and conjugated cortisol (F(comb)) in 400 healthy boys and girls aged 3-18 yr using GC-MS. Daily excretion rates of C21, F(comb), and body surface area (BSA)-corrected F(comb) significantly increased with age in both sexes. In contrast, C21/BSA (microgxm(-2).day(-1)) declined from the age of 3-4 yr to 7-8 yr in boys and girls (P < 0.01; e.g., in boys: from 3,991 +/- 1,167 to 3,193 +/- 804), then increased in both sexes, and finally became discordant after the age of 11-12 yr with a further rise in males only (17- to 18-yr-olds: boys, 5,275 +/- 1,414; girls 3,939 +/- 1,586, P < 0.01). This pattern was associated with the occurrence of a lower index for 5alpha-reductase activity (allotetrahydrocortisol/tetrahydrocortisol) in females compared with males. Our results demonstrate dynamic changes in adrenocortical activity in healthy children resulting in an emerging sexual dimorphism in cortisol secretion after age 11. The latter can be explained, at least partly, by diverging 5alpha-reductase activities in boys and girls. F(comb), a frequently analyzed GC-MS parameter, proved not to reflect dynamic changes in cortisol secretion. In conclusion, the varying metabolic need for cortisol during normal growth may have implications for future improvements in glucocorticoid replacement therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan A Wudy
- Steroid Research Unit, Center of Child and Adolescent Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Feulgenstr. 12, D-35392 Giessen, Germany.
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Vierhapper H, Heinze G, Nowotny P. Sex-specific difference in the interconversion of cortisol and cortisone in men and women. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2007; 15:820-4. [PMID: 17426315 DOI: 10.1038/oby.2007.592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Our objective was to demonstrate that the smaller oxoreductase activity of 11beta-HSD1 in women would shift the interconversion of cortisol and cortisone toward cortisone, resulting in a larger amount of generated labeled cortisone in healthy women than in healthy men. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES Using mass spectrometry, the amount of cortisone generated from a continuous infusion (8 am to 6 pm) of stable-labeled cortisol (1alpha,2alpha-d-cortisol) was determined in non-obese and in obese (BMI>35 kg/m2) men and women during steady-state conditions (from 2 pm to 6 pm). In this setting, the amount of generated labeled cortisone (expressed as % of the achieved steady-state concentrations of labeled cortisol) reflects the sum of the bi-directional conversion of cortisol into cortisone (and vice versa) by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. RESULTS The amount of generated labeled cortisone was higher in men than in women (p<0.0001). This sex difference was higher in obese than in non-obese patients (p=0.0062). CONCLUSIONS The interconversion of cortisol and cortisone during steady-state conditions is shifted toward cortisol in men as compared with women. This suggests a higher overall oxoreductase activity of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 in men than in women. This sex-specific difference is maintained in obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinrich Vierhapper
- Clinical Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine III, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Wien, Austria.
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Brooks B, Rajeshwari R, Nicklas TA, Yang SJ, Berenson GS. Association of Calcium Intake, Dairy Product Consumption with Overweight Status in Young Adults (1995–1996): The Bogalusa Heart Study. J Am Coll Nutr 2006; 25:523-32. [PMID: 17229900 PMCID: PMC2769990 DOI: 10.1080/07315724.2006.10719568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association between calcium intake and dairy product consumption with overweight and obesity in young adults. METHODS The sample used in this study consisted of 1306 young adults, ages 19-38 years, who participated in the 1995-1996 young adult survey. Analysis was performed with analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for ethnicity-gender groups separately. RESULTS No significant association was found between dairy product consumption, calcium intake and overweight, defined by body mass index or waist circumference. However, there was a significant inverse association between calcium intake, low-fat dairy product consumption and waist-to-hip ratio in white males. CONCLUSION Increasing intake of calcium and low-fat dairy products may be associated with lower abdominal adiposity, particularly in young adult white males.
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Affiliation(s)
- B.M. Brooks
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - R. Rajeshwari
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Theresa A. Nicklas
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Su-Jau Yang
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Gerald S. Berenson
- Tulane Center for Cardiovascular Health, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
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