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McQueen P, Molina D, Pinos I, Krug S, Taylor AJ, LaFrano MR, Kane MA, Amengual J. Finasteride delays atherosclerosis progression in mice and is associated with a reduction in plasma cholesterol in men. J Lipid Res 2024; 65:100507. [PMID: 38272355 PMCID: PMC10899056 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100507] [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: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Finasteride is commonly prescribed to treat benign prostate hyperplasia and male-pattern baldness in cis men and, more recently, trans individuals. However, the effect of finasteride on cardiovascular disease remains elusive. We evaluated the role of finasteride on atherosclerosis using low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-deficient (Ldlr-/-) mice. Next, we examined the relevance to humans by analyzing the data deposited between 2009 and 2016 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We show that finasteride reduces total plasma cholesterol and delays the development of atherosclerosis in Ldlr-/- mice. Finasteride reduced monocytosis, monocyte recruitment to the lesion, macrophage lesion content, and necrotic core area, the latter of which is an indicator of plaque vulnerability in humans. RNA sequencing analysis revealed a downregulation of inflammatory pathways and an upregulation of bile acid metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and cholesterol pathways in the liver of mice taking finasteride. Men reporting the use of finasteride showed lower plasma levels of cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol than those not taking the drug. Our data unveil finasteride as a potential treatment to delay cardiovascular disease in people by improving the plasma lipid profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick McQueen
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Donald Molina
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Ivan Pinos
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Samuel Krug
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anna J Taylor
- Carver Metabolomics Core, Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Michael R LaFrano
- Carver Metabolomics Core, Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Maureen A Kane
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jaume Amengual
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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Nayana J, Shankaranarayana Rao BS, Srikumar BN. Repeated finasteride administration promotes synaptic plasticity and produces antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in female rats. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25306. [PMID: 38468573 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25306] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Finasteride is used in female-pattern hair loss, hirsutism, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. It inhibits 5α-reductase, which is an important enzyme in the biosynthesis of neurosteroids. The effects of finasteride treatment on mental health in female patients as well as the effects of repeated/chronic finasteride administration in female rodents are still unknown. Accordingly, in our study, we administered finasteride (10, 30, or 100 mg/Kg, s.c.) for 6 days in female rats and evaluated behavior, plasma steroid levels, and synaptic plasticity. Depression-like behavior was evaluated using forced swim test (FST) and splash test. Anxiety-like behavior was evaluated using novelty-suppressed feeding task (NSFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), open field test (OFT), and light-dark test (LDT). Plasma steroid levels were assessed using ELISA and synaptic plasticity by field potential recordings. We observed that finasteride decreased total immobility duration in FST, indicating antidepressant-like effect and decreased the latency to first bite in NSFT, showing anxiolytic-like effect. We also found a significant increase in plasma estradiol and a significant decrease in plasma corticosterone level. Furthermore, field potential recordings showed that finasteride increased hippocampal long-term potentiation. These results indicate that repeated finasteride administration in female rats may have antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effect, which might be mediated by enhanced estradiol levels or decreased corticosterone levels. Further studies are required to validate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of finasteride in female rats. Understanding the mechanisms will help us in developing novel neurosteroid-based therapeutics in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Nayana
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Bettadapura N Srikumar
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
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Wei H, Yang S, Yi T, Xu X, Liu C, Shen C, Guo Y, Li Q, Jin P. CircAGK regulates high dihydrotestosterone-induced apoptosis in DPCs through the miR-3180-5p/BAX axis. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22728. [PMID: 36607259 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200849r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of androgen alopecia (AGA), also known as seborrheic alopecia, has surged in recent years, and onset is occurring at younger ages. Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) are key to maintaining hair cycling, and apoptosis-driven processes in DPCs are closely related to hair follicle regeneration. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are widely present in the human body and are closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases. Currently, the biological functions of circRNAs in AGA are largely unknown. Whole-transcriptome sequencing was used to screen differential circRNA expression profiles between AGA patients and non-AGA patients. We found that hsa_circ_0002980 (circAGK) was significantly highly expressed in the AGA group. CircAGK promoted DPC apoptosis in the presence of high dihydrotestosterone (DHT) (15 nmol/L). By regulating the miR-3180-5p/BAX axis, circAGK promotes DPC apoptosis in a high DHT environment in vitro and inhibits hair growth in AGA mice in vivo, indicating that circAGK is a potential target for the clinical treatment of AGA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanxiao Wei
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Shuai Yang
- The First College of Clinical Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Tian Yi
- The First College of Clinical Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Xu
- The First College of Clinical Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Chang Liu
- The First College of Clinical Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Caiqi Shen
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yanping Guo
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Peisheng Jin
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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Prolonged use of finasteride-induced gonadal sex steroids alterations, DNA damage and menstrual bleeding in women. Biosci Rep 2020; 40:221928. [PMID: 31967291 PMCID: PMC7007407 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20191434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of prolonged use of finasteride on serum levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estradiol (E2), progesterone, testosterone and androstenedione in women during the menstrual period. Further, to screen and compare the 5α-reductase activities through the expression of SRD5A1, SRD5A2 and AR gene and to determine the level of VEGF, VKOR and SAA gene expression and DNA damage. A total of 30 Saudi women aged between 25 and 35 years were enrolled in the study. The selected women were divided into two groups. The first group (n = 15) received 5 mg finasteride/day for prolonged period of one year and second group (n = 15) was taken as a healthy control. ELISA technique was used for measuring the serum levels of the targeted hormones, and Comet assay was used for checking the DNA integrity. Our findings revealed significant decrement of DHT, E2, progesterone and androstenedione levels and elevated levels of testosterone in group treated with daily oral doses of 5 mg finasteride/day compared with the control subjects. mRNA expression suggested that finasteride has concrete effects on the gene expression of the selected genes from the treated group in comparison with the control group. In addition, finasteride induced DNA damage, and heavy menstrual bleeding was noted in women treated with finasteride. In conclusion, the present findings revealed that finasteride has adverse health effects in women associated with gonadal sex steroids alterations, DNA damage and heavy menstrual bleeding with no consensus in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in women.
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Diviccaro S, Melcangi RC, Giatti S. Post-finasteride syndrome: An emerging clinical problem. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 12:100209. [PMID: 32435662 PMCID: PMC7231981 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of side effects during pharmacological treatment is unfortunately a quite common problem. In this review, we focused our attention on adverse events related to 5 alpha-reductase (5α-R) inhibitors (i.e., finasteride and dutasteride), approved for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Although these drugs are generally well tolerated, many reports described adverse effects in men during treatment, such as sexual dysfunction and mood alteration. In addition, it has been also reported that persistent side effects may occur in some AGA patients. This condition, termed post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) is characterized by sexual side effects (i.e., low libido, erectile dysfunction, decreased arousal and difficulty in achieving orgasm), depression, anxiety and cognitive complaints that are still present despite drug withdrawal. Indeed, some national agencies (e.g., Swedish Medical Products Agency, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency of UK and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) required to include multiple persistent side effects within the finasteride labels. As here reported, these observations are mainly based on self-reporting of the symptomatology by the patients and few clinical studies have been performed so far. In addition, molecular mechanisms and/or genetic determinants behind such adverse effects have been poorly explored both in patients and animal models. Therefore, results here discussed indicate that PFS is an emerging clinical problem that needs to be further elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Diviccaro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Roberto Cosimo Melcangi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Giatti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
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