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Szucio W, Bernaczyk P, Ponikwicka-Tyszko D, Milewska G, Pawelczyk A, Wołczyński S, Rahman NA. Progesterone signaling in uterine leiomyoma biology: Implications for potential targeted therapy. Adv Med Sci 2024; 69:21-28. [PMID: 38278085 DOI: 10.1016/j.advms.2024.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Uterine leiomyomas (ULs) are the most common benign smooth muscle cell steroid-dependent tumors that occur in women of reproductive age. Progesterone (P4) is a major hormone that promotes the ULs development and growth. P4 action in ULs is mediated mainly by its nuclear progesterone receptors (PGRs), although rapid non-genomic responses have also been observed. Data on the membrane progesterone receptors (mPRs) regulated signaling pathways in ULs in the available literature is still very limited. One of the essential characteristics of ULs is the excessive production of extracellular matrix (ECM). P4 has been shown to stimulate ECM production and collagen synthesis in ULs. Recent research demonstrated that, despite their benign nature, ULs may present with abnormal vasculature. P4 has been shown to regulate angiogenesis in ULs through the upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and by controlling the secretion of permeability factors. This review summarizes the key findings regarding the role of PGRs and mPRs in ULs, especially highlighting the potential ECM and angiogenesis modulation by P4. An increased understanding of this mechanistic role of nuclear and specifically mPRs in the biology of P4-modulated ECM and angiogenesis in the growth of ULs could turn out to be fundamental for developing effective targeted therapies for ULs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weronika Szucio
- Department of Reproduction and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Piotr Bernaczyk
- Department of Medical Pathomorphology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Donata Ponikwicka-Tyszko
- Department of Biology and Pathology of Human Reproduction, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Gabriela Milewska
- Department of Reproduction and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Adam Pawelczyk
- Department of Plastic, Endocrine and General Surgery, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Sławomir Wołczyński
- Department of Reproduction and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; Department of Biology and Pathology of Human Reproduction, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Nafis A Rahman
- Department of Reproduction and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
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Singh S, Kumar P, Rathore SS, Singh Y, Garg N. Contemporary approaches in the management of uterine leiomyomas. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2023; 287:195-210. [PMID: 37385088 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2023.06.021] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leiomyomas (fibroids), the most common benign solid tumours in females, originate from the myometrium and are associated with poor quality of life for patients. The current management of uterine leiomyomas mainly includes surgical interventions such as hysterectomy and myomectomy, either by laparoscopy or laparotomy, which have several complications and are not ideal for preserving fertility. Therefore, there is a need to develop or repurpose medical treatments that do not require surgical intervention. OBJECTIVE Many drugs are used to treat the symptoms associated with uterine fibroids. The main objective of this systematic review is to give an up-to-date account of potential pharmacological agents (non-surgical methods) for the management of uterine leiomyomas. SEARCH STRATEGY PubMed was searched for scientific and clinical literature using the keyword 'uterine fibroids' along with the drug names described in each section. For example, 'uterine fibroids' and 'ulipristal acetate' were the keywords used to search for literature on ulipristal acetate (UPA). RESULTS Various preclinical and clinical studies have shown that some drugs and herbal formulations exhibit activity in the management of uterine leiomyomas. Recent studies found that drugs such as UPA, elagolix, EC313, asoprisnol, nutritional supplements and herbal preparations were helpful in treating the symptoms associated with uterine leiomyomas. CONCLUSION Many drugs show efficacy in patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids. UPA is one of the most studied and prescribed medicines for uterine fibroids; however, its usage has been restricted due to a few recent incidences of hepatic toxicity. Herbal drugs and natural supplements have also shown promising effects on uterine fibroids. The synergistic effects of nutritional and herbal supplements have been reported in certain cases, and should be studied in detail. Further research is warranted to identify the mode of action of the drugs, and to determine the precise conditions that would explain the causes of toxicity in some patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Singh
- Department of Prasuti Tantra, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Saurabh Singh Rathore
- Department of Biotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Raghunathpur, Motihari, East Champaran, Bihar, India
| | - Yashasvi Singh
- Department of Urology, CSSB, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Neha Garg
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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A View on Uterine Leiomyoma Genesis through the Prism of Genetic, Epigenetic and Cellular Heterogeneity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065752. [PMID: 36982825 PMCID: PMC10056617 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Uterine leiomyomas (ULs), frequent benign tumours of the female reproductive tract, are associated with a range of symptoms and significant morbidity. Despite extensive research, there is no consensus on essential points of UL initiation and development. The main reason for this is a pronounced inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity resulting from diverse and complicated mechanisms underlying UL pathobiology. In this review, we comprehensively analyse risk and protective factors for UL development, UL cellular composition, hormonal and paracrine signalling, epigenetic regulation and genetic abnormalities. We conclude the need to carefully update the concept of UL genesis in light of the current data. Staying within the framework of the existing hypotheses, we introduce a possible timeline for UL development and the associated key events—from potential prerequisites to the beginning of UL formation and the onset of driver and passenger changes.
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Välimäki N, Jokinen V, Cajuso T, Kuisma H, Taira A, Dagnaud O, Ilves S, Kaukomaa J, Pasanen A, Palin K, Heikinheimo O, Bützow R, Aaltonen LA, Karhu A. Inherited mutations affecting the SRCAP complex are central in moderate-penetrance predisposition to uterine leiomyomas. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:460-474. [PMID: 36773604 PMCID: PMC10027472 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Uterine leiomyomas (ULs) are benign smooth muscle tumors that are common in premenopausal women. Somatic alterations in MED12, HMGA2, FH, genes encoding subunits of the SRCAP complex, and genes involved in Cullin 3-RING E3 ligase neddylation are mutually exclusive UL drivers. Established predisposition genes explain only partially the estimated heritability of leiomyomas. Here, we examined loss-of-function variants across 18,899 genes in a cohort of 233,614 White European women, revealing variants in four genes encoding SRCAP complex subunits (YEATS4, ZNHIT1, DMAP1, and ACTL6A) with a significant association to ULs, and YEATS4 and ZNHIT1 strikingly rank first and second, respectively. Positive mutation status was also associated with younger age at diagnosis and hysterectomy. Moderate-penetrance UL risk was largely attributed to rare non-synonymous mutations affecting the SRCAP complex. To examine this disease phenotype more closely, we set out to identify inherited mutations affecting the SRCAP complex in our in-house sample collection of Finnish individuals with ULs (n = 860). We detected one individual with an ACTL6A splice-site mutation, two individuals with a YEATS4 missense mutation, and four individuals with DMAP1 mutations: one splice-site, one nonsense, and two missense variants. These individuals had large and/or multiple ULs, were often diagnosed at an early age, and many had family history of ULs. When a somatic second hit was found, ACTL6A and DMAP1 were silenced in tumors by somatic mutation and YEATS4 by promoter hypermethylation. Decreased H2A.Z staining was observed in the tumors, providing further evidence for the pathogenic nature of the germline mutations. Our results establish inactivation of genes encoding SRCAP complex subunits as a central contributor to moderate-penetrance UL predisposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niko Välimäki
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vilja Jokinen
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tatiana Cajuso
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Heli Kuisma
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aurora Taira
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olivia Dagnaud
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sini Ilves
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jaana Kaukomaa
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Annukka Pasanen
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kimmo Palin
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Oskari Heikinheimo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ralf Bützow
- Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lauri A Aaltonen
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Auli Karhu
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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