1
|
Anbar HS, Isa Z, Elounais JJ, Jameel MA, Zib JH, Samer AM, Jawad AF, El-Gamal MI. Steroid sulfatase inhibitors: the current landscape. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2021; 31:453-472. [PMID: 33783295 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2021.1910237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Steroid sulfatase (STS) enzyme is responsible for transforming the inactive sulfate metabolites of steroid sex hormones into the active free steroids. Both the deficiency and the over-expression of STS are associated with the pathophysiology of certain diseases. This article provides the readership with a comprehensive review about STS enzyme and its recently reported inhibitors.Areas covered: In the present article, we reviewed the structure, location, and substrates of STS enzyme, physiological functions of STS, and disease states related to over-expression or deficiency of STS enzyme. STS inhibitors reported during the last five years (2016-present) have been reviewed as well.Expert opinion: Irosustat is the most successful STS inhibitor drug candidate so far. It is currently under investigation in clinical trials for treatment of estrogen-dependent breast cancer. Non-steroidal sulfamate is the most favorable scaffold for STS inhibitor design. They can be beneficial for the treatment of hormone-dependent cancers and neurodegenerative disorders without significant estrogenic side effects. Moreover, dual-acting molecules (inhibitors of STS + another synergistic mechanism) can be therapeutically efficient.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hanan S Anbar
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College for Girls, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Zahraa Isa
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College for Girls, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jana J Elounais
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College for Girls, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mariam A Jameel
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College for Girls, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Joudi H Zib
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College for Girls, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Aya M Samer
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College for Girls, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Aya F Jawad
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College for Girls, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammed I El-Gamal
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mansoura, Mansoura, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kurogi K, Yoshihama M, Williams FE, Kenmochi N, Sakakibara Y, Suiko M, Liu MC. Identification of zebrafish steroid sulfatase and comparative analysis of the enzymatic properties with human steroid sulfatase. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 185:110-117. [PMID: 30118815 PMCID: PMC6289849 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Steroid sulfatase (STS) plays an important role in the regulation of steroid hormones. Metabolism of steroid hormones in zebrafish has been investigated, but the action of steroid sulfatase remains unknown. In this study, a zebrafish sts was cloned, expressed, purified, and characterized in comparison with the orthologous human enzyme. Enzymatic assays demonstrated that similar to human STS, zebrafish Sts was most active in catalyzing the hydrolysis of estrone-sulfate and estradiol-sulfate, among five steroid sulfates tested as substrates. Kinetic analyses revealed that the Km values of zebrafish Sts and human STS differed with respective substrates, but the catalytic efficiency as reflected by the Vmax/Km appeared comparable, except for DHEA-sulfate with which zebrafish Sts appeared less efficient. While zebrafish Sts was catalytically active at 28 °C, the enzyme appeared more active at 37 °C and with similar Km values to those determined at 28 °C. Assays performed in the presence of different divalent cations showed that the activities of both zebrafish and human STSs were stimulated by Ca2+, Mg2+, and Mn2+, and inhibited by Zn+2 and Fe2+. EMATE and STX64, two known mammalian steroid sulafatase inhibitors, were shown to be capable of inhibiting the activity of zebrafish Sts. Collectively, the results obtained indicated that zebrafish Sts exhibited enzymatic characteristics comparable to the human STS, suggesting that the physiological function of STS may be conserved between zebrafish and humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katsuhisa Kurogi
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; Biochemistry and Applied Biosciences, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Maki Yoshihama
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; Frontier Research Center, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Frederick E Williams
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Naoya Kenmochi
- Frontier Research Center, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Yoichi Sakakibara
- Biochemistry and Applied Biosciences, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Masahito Suiko
- Biochemistry and Applied Biosciences, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Ming-Cheh Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, Toledo, OH 43614, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Paitz RT, Duffield KR, Bowden RM. Characterizing the distribution of steroid sulfatase during embryonic development: when and where might metabolites of maternal steroids be reactivated? J Exp Biol 2017; 220:4567-4570. [PMID: 29074704 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.167031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
All vertebrate embryos are exposed to maternally derived steroids during development. In placental vertebrates, metabolism of maternal steroids by the placenta modulates embryonic exposure, but how exposure is regulated in oviparous vertebrates is less clear. Recent work in oviparous vertebrates has demonstrated that steroids are not static molecules, as they can be converted to more polar steroid sulfates by sulfotransferase enzymes. Importantly, these steroid sulfates can be converted back to the parent compound by the enzyme steroid sulfatase (STS). We investigated when and where STS was present during embryonic development in the red-eared slider turtle, Trachemys scripta We report that STS is present during all stages of development and in all tissues we examined. We conclude that STS activity may be particularly important for regulating maternal steroid exposure in oviparous vertebrates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Paitz
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Kristin R Duffield
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Rachel M Bowden
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pregnenolone sulfate normalizes schizophrenia-like behaviors in dopamine transporter knockout mice through the AKT/GSK3β pathway. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e528. [PMID: 25781227 PMCID: PMC4354351 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnenolone sulfate, an endogenous neurosteroid in the central nervous system, is a positive allosteric modulator of the NMDA receptor, and plays a role in the modulation of learning and memory. Here, we study the actions of pregnenolone sulfate using the dopamine transporter knockout (DAT-KO) mice, which exhibit endophenotypes that recapitulate certain symptoms of schizophrenia, including the psychomotor agitation, stereotypy, prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits and cognitive impairments. We found that acute treatment with pregnenolone sulfate normalized the hyperlocomotion and stereotypic bouts, and rescued the PPI deficits of DAT-KO mice. In addition, long-term treatment with pregnenolone sulfate rescued the cognitive deficits of DAT-KO mice in the novel object recognition and social transmission of food preference tests. We also showed that pregnenolone sulfate normalized behavioral abnormalities in MK801-treated wild-type mice, whereas pregnenolone, its precursor, only partially rescued MK801-induced behavioral abnormalities. This indicates that there are distinct mechanisms of action between pregnenolone sulfate and pregnenolone, and the involvement of NMDA receptor signaling in the action of pregnenolone sulfate. Moreover, we found that acute treatment with pregnenolone sulfate increased the phosphorylation levels of striatal AKT and GSK3β in DAT-KO mice, and that long-term treatment with pregnenolone sulfate increased expression levels of NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor in hippocampus. Thus, pregnenolone sulfate was able to rescue the behavioral anomalies of DAT-KO mice through the NMDA receptor-mediated, AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway.
Collapse
|
5
|
Davies W, Humby T, Trent S, Eddy JB, Ojarikre OA, Wilkinson LS. Genetic and pharmacological modulation of the steroid sulfatase axis improves response control; comparison with drugs used in ADHD. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:2622-32. [PMID: 24842408 PMCID: PMC4140762 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2013] [Revised: 04/10/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Maladaptive response control is a feature of many neuropsychiatric conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). As ADHD is more commonly diagnosed in males than females, a pathogenic role for sex-linked genes has been suggested. Deletion or point mutation of the X-linked STS gene, encoding the enzyme steroid sulfatase (STS) influences risk for ADHD. We examined whether deletion of the Sts gene in the 39,X(Y*)O mouse model, or pharmacological manipulation of the STS axis, via administration of the enzyme substrate dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate or the enzyme inhibitor COUMATE, influenced behavior in a novel murine analog of the stop-signal reaction time task used to detect inhibitory deficits in individuals with ADHD. Unexpectedly, both the genetic and pharmacological treatments resulted in enhanced response control, manifest as highly specific effects in the ability to cancel a prepotent action. For all three manipulations, the effect size was comparable to that seen with the commonly used ADHD therapeutics methylphenidate and atomoxetine. Hence, converging genetic and pharmacological evidence indicates that the STS axis is involved in inhibitory processes and can be manipulated to give rise to improvements in response control. While the precise neurobiological mechanism(s) underlying the effects remain to be established, there is the potential for exploiting this pathway in the treatment of disorders where failures in behavioral inhibition are prominent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Davies
- Behavioral Genetics Group, Schools of Psychology and Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Trevor Humby
- Behavioral Genetics Group, Schools of Psychology and Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Simon Trent
- Behavioral Genetics Group, Schools of Psychology and Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jessica B Eddy
- Behavioral Genetics Group, Schools of Psychology and Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Obah A Ojarikre
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lawrence S Wilkinson
- Behavioral Genetics Group, Schools of Psychology and Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK, Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 0357, Fax: +44 (0)29 2087 4858, E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Davies W. Sex differences in attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: candidate genetic and endocrine mechanisms. Front Neuroendocrinol 2014; 35:331-46. [PMID: 24680800 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2014.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2013] [Revised: 02/13/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental condition characterised by severe inattention, pathological impulsivity and hyperactivity; it is relatively common affecting up to 6% of children, and is associated with a risk of long-term adverse educational and social consequences. Males are considerably more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than females; the course of the disorder and its associated co-morbidities also appear to be sensitive to sex. Here, I discuss fundamental biological (genetic and endocrine) mechanisms that have been shown to, or could theoretically, contribute towards these sexually dimorphic phenomena. Greater understanding of how and why the sexes differ with respect to ADHD vulnerability should allow us to identify and characterise novel protective and risk factors for the disorder, and should ultimately facilitate improved diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Davies
- Behavioural Genetics Group, Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Schools of Psychology and Medicine, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK; Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Takeshita RSC, Huffman MA, Bercovitch FB, Mouri K, Shimizu K. The influence of age and season on fecal dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) concentrations in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 191:39-43. [PMID: 23751811 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2013] [Revised: 05/16/2013] [Accepted: 05/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate, DHEAS, are the most abundant steroid hormones in primates, providing a large reservoir of precursors for the production of androgens. DHEAS levels decline with age in adult humans and nonhuman primates, prompting its consideration as a biomarker of senescence. However, the mechanisms responsible for this age-related decrease and its relationship to reproduction remain elusive. This research investigated DHEAS concentrations in fecal samples in order to determine age-related changes in captive Japanese macaques, as well as to assess the possible influence of seasonality. The subjects were 25 female Japanese macaques (2weeks to 14years-old) housed outdoors in social groups at the Primate Research Institute. We collected three fecal samples from each animal during the breeding season (October to December) and three additional samples from adult females during the non-breeding season (May to June). The hormonal concentrations were determined using enzyme immunoassay. DHEAS concentration was negatively correlated with age, but we did not find a significant difference between breeding and non-breeding seasons. Neonatal macaques had the highest DHEAS concentrations of all age groups. We suggest that elevated neonatal DHEAS is possibly a residue from fetal adrenal secretion and that, as in humans, it might assist in neurobiological development.
Collapse
|
8
|
Using mouse models to investigate sex-linked genetic effects on brain, behaviour and vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders. Brain Res Bull 2013; 92:12-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2011.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2011] [Revised: 06/17/2011] [Accepted: 06/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
9
|
Altered serotonergic function may partially account for behavioral endophenotypes in steroid sulfatase-deficient mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2012; 37:1267-74. [PMID: 22189290 PMCID: PMC3306888 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The X-linked gene STS encodes the steroid hormone-modulating enzyme steroid sulfatase. Loss-of-function of STS, and variation within the gene, have been associated with vulnerability to developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by inattention, severe impulsivity, hyperactivity, and motivational deficits. ADHD is commonly comorbid with a variety of disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder. The neurobiological role of steroid sulfatase, and therefore its potential role in ADHD and associated comorbidities, is currently poorly understood. The 39,X(Y)*O mouse, which lacks the Sts gene, exhibits several behavioral abnormalities relevant to ADHD including inattention and hyperactivity. Here, we show that, unexpectedly, 39,X(Y)*O mice achieve higher ratios than wild-type mice on a progressive ratio (PR) task thought to index motivation, but that there is no difference between the two groups on a behavioral task thought to index compulsivity (marble burying). High performance liquid chromatography analysis of monoamine levels in wild type and 39,X(Y)*O brain tissue regions (the frontal cortex, striatum, thalamus, hippocampus, and cerebellum) revealed significantly higher levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the striatum and hippocampus of 39,X(Y)*O mice. Significant correlations between hippocampal 5-HT levels and PR performance, and between striatal 5-HT levels and locomotor activity strongly implicate regionally-specific perturbations of the 5-HT system as a neurobiological candidate for behavioral differences between 40,XY and 39,X(Y)*O mice. These data suggest that inactivating mutations and functional variants within STS might exert their influence on ADHD vulnerability, and disorder endophenotypes through modulation of the serotonergic system.
Collapse
|
10
|
Trent S, Dennehy A, Richardson H, Ojarikre OA, Burgoyne PS, Humby T, Davies W. Steroid sulfatase-deficient mice exhibit endophenotypes relevant to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:221-9. [PMID: 21723668 PMCID: PMC3242075 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Revised: 05/10/2011] [Accepted: 06/06/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition characterised by inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity; it is frequently co-morbid with anxiety and conduct disorders, sleep perturbation and abnormal consummatory behaviours. Recent studies have implicated the neurosteroid-modulating enzyme steroid sulfatase (STS) as a modulator of ADHD-related endophenotypes. The effects of steroid sulfatase deficiency on homecage activity, feeding/drinking behaviours, anxiety-related behaviours (assayed in light-dark box and open field paradigms), social dominance and serum steroid hormone levels were determined by comparing 40,XY and 39,X(Y*)O mice. Subsequently, mice administered the steroid sulfatase inhibitor COUMATE acutely were compared to vehicle-treated mice on behavioural tasks sensitive to enzyme deficiency to dissociate between its developmental and ongoing effects. 39,X(Y*)O mice exhibited heightened reactivity to a novel environment, hyperactivity in the active phase, and increased water (but not food) consumption relative to 40,XY mice during a 24h period; the former group also demonstrated evidence for heightened emotional reactivity. There was no difference in social dominance between the 40,XY and 39,X(Y*)O mice. COUMATE administration had no effect on homecage activity, water consumption or anxiety measures in the open field. 39,X(Y*)O mice exhibited significantly lower dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) serum levels than 40,XY mice, but equivalent corticosterone levels. Together with previous data, the present results suggest that steroid sulfatase may influence core and associated ADHD behavioural endophenotypes via both developmental and ongoing mechanisms, and that the 39,X(Y*)O model may represent a useful tool for elucidating the neurobiological basis of these endophenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Trent
- Behavioural Genetics Group, Schools of Psychology and Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Trevor Humby
- Behavioural Genetics Group, Schools of Psychology and Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - William Davies
- Behavioural Genetics Group, Schools of Psychology and Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Corresponding author at: Henry Wellcome Building, Heath Park Campus, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK. Tel.: +44 0 29 2068 7047; fax: +44 0 29 2068 7068.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Paitz RT, Bowden RM. Biological activity of oestradiol sulphate in an oviparous amniote: implications for maternal steroid effects. Proc Biol Sci 2011; 278:2005-10. [PMID: 21106590 PMCID: PMC3107646 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.2128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2010] [Accepted: 11/05/2010] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the many factors that underlie phenotypic variation is of profound importance to evolutionary biologists. The embryonic endocrine environment is one such factor that has received much attention. In placental amniotes, the dynamic interaction of maternal and embryonic steroid production and metabolism is critical to regulating the endocrine environment. Less is known about how embryos of oviparous amniotes regulate their endocrine environment because most studies have focused on relating initial steroid levels in the yolk at oviposition to offspring phenotype. We tested the hypothesis that embryos of oviparous amniotes regulate their endocrine environment by conjugating maternal steroids and subsequently using the metabolites as precursors for steroid production later in development. Using the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta), we first characterized the conjugation of exogenous oestradiol to either oestradiol glucuronide or oestradiol sulphate (E(2)-S) in ovo during the first 15 days of development. Results show that oestradiol is primarily conjugated to E(2)-S. We then examined whether E(2)-S influenced sex determination and report that E(2)-S increases the production of female offspring. These data demonstrate that oviparous amniotes can both sulphonate steroids and respond to sulphonated steroids during embryonic development in a manner similar to placental amniotes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Paitz
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Xu J, Andreassi M. Reversible histone methylation regulates brain gene expression and behavior. Horm Behav 2011; 59:383-92. [PMID: 20816965 PMCID: PMC3084016 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2010] [Revised: 08/26/2010] [Accepted: 08/26/2010] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic chromatin remodeling, including reversible histone methylation, regulates gene transcription in brain development and synaptic plasticity. Aberrant chromatin modifications due to mutant chromatin enzymes or chemical exposures have been associated with neurological or psychiatric disorders such as mental retardation, schizophrenia, depression, and drug addiction. Some chromatin enzymes, such as histone demethylases JARID1C and UTX, are coded by X-linked genes which are not X-inactivated in females. The higher expression of JARID1C and UTX in females could contribute to sex differences in brain development and behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Xu
- Tufts University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Stergiakouli E, Langley K, Williams H, Walters J, Williams NM, Suren S, Giegling I, Wilkinson LS, Owen MJ, O'Donovan MC, Rujescu D, Thapar A, Davies W. Steroid sulfatase is a potential modifier of cognition in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2011; 10:334-44. [PMID: 21255266 PMCID: PMC3664024 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2010.00672.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Deletions encompassing the X-linked STS gene (encoding steroid sulfatase) have been observed in subjects with neurodevelopmental disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recently, two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within STS (rs12861247 and rs17268988) have been reported to be associated with ADHD risk and inattentive symptoms in ADHD, respectively. Using a UK sample of ADHD subjects (aged 5-18 years), we tested the hypothesis that rs12861247 is associated with ADHD risk using a case-control approach (comparing 327 ADHD cases with 358 male controls from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium). Using a subset of males from the ADHD sample, we also examined whether variation within STS is associated with symptomatology/cognitive function in ADHD. We then tested whether SNPs associated with cognitive function in ADHD were also associated with cognitive function in healthy male subjects using a German sample (n = 143, aged 18-30 years), and whether STS was expressed in brain regions pertinent to ADHD pathology during development. We did not replicate the previously identified association with rs12861247. However, in ADHD males, variation at rs17268988 was associated with inattentive symptoms, while variation within STS was significantly associated with performance on three cognitive measures. Three SNPs associated with cognitive function in ADHD males were not associated with cognitive function in healthy males. STS was highly expressed in the developing cerebellar neuroepithelium, basal ganglia, thalamus, pituitary gland, hypothalamus and choroid plexus. These data suggest that genetic variants affecting STS expression and/or activity could influence the function of brain regions perturbed in ADHD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Stergiakouli
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ratzka A, Mundlos S, Vortkamp A. Expression patterns of sulfatase genes in the developing mouse embryo. Dev Dyn 2010; 239:1779-88. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
|
15
|
Davies W, Humby T, Kong W, Otter T, Burgoyne PS, Wilkinson LS. Converging pharmacological and genetic evidence indicates a role for steroid sulfatase in attention. Biol Psychiatry 2009; 66:360-7. [PMID: 19251250 PMCID: PMC2720459 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2008] [Revised: 01/08/2009] [Accepted: 01/08/2009] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in attention, increased motor impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Preliminary work in mice and humans has suggested the X-linked gene STS (which encodes the enzyme steroid sulfatase) as a mediator of attentional functioning and as a candidate gene for ADHD. METHODS The effects of modulating the murine steroid sulfatase axis pharmacologically (through administration of the substrate dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [DHEAS], 0-40 mg/kg, or acute inhibition of the enzyme by COUMATE, 10mg/kg) or genetically (through loss of the gene in 39,X(Y)*O mice) were assayed using the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) a test of visuospatial attention and response control, and a locomotor activity paradigm. RESULTS DHEAS administration improved 5-CSRTT performance under attentionally demanding conditions, whereas steroid sulfatase inhibition impaired accuracy under the same conditions. Loss of Sts expression constitutively throughout development in 39,X(Y)*O mice resulted in deficits in 5-CSRTT performance at short stimulus durations and reduced anticipatory responding. Neither the pharmacologic nor the genetic manipulations affected basic locomotor activity. CONCLUSIONS These data provide converging evidence indicating a role for steroid sulfatase in discrete aspects of attentional functioning and are suggestive of a role in motor impulsivity. The findings provide novel insights into the neurobiology of attention and strengthen the notion of STS as a candidate gene for the attentional component of ADHD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Davies
- Behavioural Genetics Group, School of Psychology and Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Cardiff, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Trevor Humby
- Behavioural Genetics Group, School of Psychology and Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Cardiff, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wendy Kong
- Department of Anatomy, University of Bristol, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tamara Otter
- Behavioural Genetics Group, School of Psychology and Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Cardiff, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul S. Burgoyne
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, Medical Research Council National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lawrence S. Wilkinson
- Behavioural Genetics Group, School of Psychology and Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Cardiff, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
The enzymes and pathways of steroidogenesis are central to an understanding of adrenarche. The quantitative regulation of steroidogenesis occurs at the first step, the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone. Chronic quantitative regulation is principally at the level of transcription of the CYP11A1 gene encoding P450scc, which is the enzymatically rate-limiting step. Acute regulation is mediated by the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), which facilitates the rapid influx of cholesterol into mitochondria, where P450scc resides. Qualitative regulation, which determines the type of steroid produced in a cell, is principally at the level of P450c17 (CYP17). In the absence of P450c17 in the zona glomerulosa, C21 deoxy steroids are produced, leading to the mineralocorticoid, aldosterone. In the presence of the 17alpha-hydroxylase but not the 17,20 lyase activity of P450c17 in the zona fasciculata, C21, 17-hydroxy steroids are produced, leading to the glucocorticoid, cortisol. When both the 17alpha-hydroxylase and 17,20 lyase activities of P450c17 are present in the zona reticularis, the androgen precursor DHEA is produced. The discrimination between 17alpha-hydroxylase and 17,20 lyase activities is regulated by two post-translational events, the serine phosphorylation of P450c17 and the allosteric action of cytochrome b5, both of which act to optimize the interaction of P450c17 with its obligatory electron donor, P450 oxidoreductase. In the adrenal zona reticularis, the abundant expression of P450 oxidoreductase and cytochrome b5, and the low expression of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B2) result in the production of the large amounts of DHEA that characterize adrenarche.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Walter L Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Room 672-S, San Francisco, CA 94143-0978, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kopsida E, Stergiakouli E, Lynn PM, Wilkinson LS, Davies W. The Role of the Y Chromosome in Brain Function. OPEN NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY JOURNAL (ONLINE) 2009; 2:20-30. [PMID: 20396406 PMCID: PMC2854822 DOI: 10.2174/1876528900902010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, sex differences are evident in many aspects of brain development, brain function and behaviour. Ultimately, such differences must arise from the differential sex chromosome complements in males and females: males inherit a single X chromosome and a Y chromosome, whilst females inherit two X chromosomes. One possible mechanism for sexual differentiation of the brain is via male-limited expression of genes on the small Y chromosome. Many Y-linked genes have been implicated in the development of the testes, and therefore could theoretically contribute to sexual differentiation of the brain indirectly, through influencing gonadal hormone production. Alternatively, Y-linked genes that are expressed in the brain could directly influence neural masculinisation. The present paper reviews evidence from human genetic studies and animal models for Y-linked effects (both direct and indirect) on neurodevelopment, brain function and behaviour. Besides enhancing our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying mammalian neural sexual differentiation, studies geared towards understanding the role of the Y chromosome in brain function will help to elucidate the molecular basis of sex-biased neuropsychiatric disorders, allowing for more selective sex-specific therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Kopsida
- Henry Wellcome Building, School of Medicine, Heath Park Site, Cardiff University, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK
| | - Evangelia Stergiakouli
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK
| | - Phoebe M. Lynn
- Henry Wellcome Building, School of Medicine, Heath Park Site, Cardiff University, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK
| | - Lawrence S. Wilkinson
- Henry Wellcome Building, School of Medicine, Heath Park Site, Cardiff University, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK
| | - William Davies
- Henry Wellcome Building, School of Medicine, Heath Park Site, Cardiff University, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Whittaker MT, Gibbs TT, Farb DH. Pregnenolone sulfate induces NMDA receptor dependent release of dopamine from synaptic terminals in the striatum. J Neurochem 2008; 107:510-21. [PMID: 18710414 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05627.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Neuromodulators that alter the balance between lower-frequency glutamate-mediated excitatory and higher-frequency GABA-mediated inhibitory synaptic transmission are likely to participate in core mechanisms for CNS function and may contribute to the pathophysiology of neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Pregnenolone sulfate (PS) modulates both ionotropic glutamate and GABA(A) receptor mediated synaptic transmission. The enzymes necessary for PS synthesis and degradation are found in brain tissue of several species including human and rat, and up to 5 nM PS has been detected in extracts of postmortem human brain. Here, we ask whether PS could modulate transmitter release from nerve terminals located in the striatum. Superfusion of a preparation of striatal nerve terminals comprised of mixed synaptosomes and synaptoneurosomes with brief-duration (2 min) pulses of 25 nM PS demonstrates that PS increases the release of newly accumulated [3H]dopamine ([3H]DA), but not [14C]glutamate or [3H]GABA, whereas pregnenolone is without effect. PS does not affect dopamine transporter (DAT) mediated uptake of [3H]DA, demonstrating that it specifically affects the transmitter release mechanism. The PS-induced [3H]DA release occurs via an NMDA receptor (NMDAR) dependent mechanism as it is blocked by D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid. PS modulates DA release with very high potency, significantly increasing [3H]DA release at PS concentrations as low as 25 pM. This first report of a selective direct enhancement of synaptosomal dopamine release by PS at picomolar concentrations via an NMDAR dependent mechanism raises the possibility that dopaminergic axon terminals may be a site of action for this neurosteroid.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Whittaker
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Davies W, Humby T, Isles AR, Burgoyne PS, Wilkinson LS. X-monosomy effects on visuospatial attention in mice: a candidate gene and implications for Turner syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2007; 61:1351-60. [PMID: 17161381 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2006] [Revised: 08/11/2006] [Accepted: 08/15/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The loss of all, or part of an X chromosome, in Turner syndrome (TS, 45,XO) results in deficits in attentional functioning. METHODS Using a 39,XO mouse model, we tested the hypothesis that X-monosomy and/or parental origin of the single X chromosome may influence visuospatial attentional functioning in a 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). RESULTS Under attentionally demanding conditions 39,XO mice displayed impaired discriminative response accuracy and slowed correct reaction times relative to 40,XX mice; these deficits were alleviated in a version of the task with reduced attentional demands. Parental origin of the X did not affect performance of the 5-CSRTT. In contrast, the attentional phenotype was rescued in 40,XY*X mice possessing a single maternally inherited X chromosome and a small Y*X chromosome that comprises a complete pseudoautosomal region (PAR), and a small X-specific segment. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are consistent with an X-monosomy effect on attention and suggest the existence of X-linked gene(s) that escape X-inactivation, are present on the small Y*X chromosome and impact on attentional functioning; the strongest candidate gene is Sts, encoding steroid sulfatase. The data inform the TS literature and indicate novel genetic mechanisms that may be of general significance to the neurobiology of attention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Davies
- Laboratories of Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and Developmental Genetics and Imprinting, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Babraham, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Hughes PJ, Brown G. 1Alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-mediated stimulation of steroid sulphatase activity in myeloid leukaemic cell lines requires VDRnuc-mediated activation of the RAS/RAF/ERK-MAP kinase signalling pathway. J Cell Biochem 2006; 98:590-617. [PMID: 16440327 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.20787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
1Alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)) stimulates the activity of steroid sulphatase (STS) in myeloid cells [Hughes et al., 2001, 2005]. This was attenuated by inhibitors of phospholipase D (PLD) (n-butanol, 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid, C(2)-ceramide) and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (PAP) (propranolol and chlorpromazine), but was unaffected by inhibitors of phospholipase C. The 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)-induced STS activity was also attenuated by inhibitors of protein kinase Calpha and protein kinase Cdelta (Go 6976, HBDDE and rottlerin), but not by an inhibitor of protein kinase Cbeta (LY379196). Additionally, 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)-induced STS activity was attenuated by inhibitors of RAS (manumycin A), RAF (GW5074), MEK (PD098059 and U1026) and JNK (SP600125), but not p38 (PD169316). 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) produced a rapid and long lasting stimulation of the ERK-MAP kinase signalling cascade in HL60 myeloid leukaemic cells. This 'non-genomic' effect of 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) blocked by pharmacological antagonists of nuclear vitamin D receptors (VDR(nuc)) and does not appear to require hetero-dimerisation with the retinoid-X receptor (RXR). Inhibitors of the Src tyrosine kinase (PP1), RAS (manumycin A), RAS-RAF interactions (sulindac sulphide and RAS inhibitory peptide), RAF (GW5074 or chloroquine), and protein kinase Calpha (HBDDE) abrogated the 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)-stimulated increase in ERK-MAP kinase activity. Taken together, these results show that 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)/VDR(nuc) activation of the RAS/RAF/ERK-MAP kinase signalling pathway plays an important role in augmenting STS activity in human myeloid leukaemic cell lines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Hughes
- Division of Immunity and Infection, The Medical School, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Kibaly C, Patte-Mensah C, Mensah-Nyagan AG. Molecular and neurochemical evidence for the biosynthesis of dehydroepiandrosterone in the adult rat spinal cord. J Neurochem 2005; 93:1220-30. [PMID: 15934942 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2005.03113.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Various studies have indicated that exogenous dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) modulates several mechanisms in the CNS of rodents. As adult rodent glands do not secrete significant amounts of DHEA, its role as endogenous modulator of the CNS remains possible only if DHEA is produced by nerve cells. Therefore, the last decade has been marked by diverse unsuccessful investigations aiming to demonstrate the activity of cytochrome P450c17 (P450c17), the key DHEA-synthesizing enzyme, in adult rodent CNS. Here, we combined molecular, anatomical, cellular and neurochemical approaches to provide the first demonstration of the existence of P450c17 and bioactivity in adult rat spinal cord (SC). Real-time RT-PCR revealed P450c17 gene expression in all SC segments. Western blot analyses allowed identification of a specific P450c17 protein in the SC and immunohistochemical studies localized P450c17 in neurones and glial cells. Pulse-chase experiments combined with HPLC and radioactive steroid detection showed that SC slices converted [3H]pregnenolone into [3H]DHEA, a conversion markedly reduced by ketoconazole, a P450c17 inhibitor. Kinetics studies revealed accumulation of [3H]DHEA newly synthesized by SC slices in the incubation medium as its amount declined slowly. This first cellular mapping of an active P450c17 in adult rodent SC suggests that endogenous DHEA synthesized in spinal neural networks may control various spinally-mediated activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cherkaouia Kibaly
- Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie Cellulaire et Intégrée, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7519-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Racchi M, Balduzzi C, Corsini E. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and the aging brain: flipping a coin in the "fountain of youth". CNS DRUG REVIEWS 2003; 9:21-40. [PMID: 12595910 PMCID: PMC6741703 DOI: 10.1111/j.1527-3458.2003.tb00242.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The physiological role of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphated ester DHEA(S) has been studied for nearly 2 decades and still eludes final clarification. The major interest in DHEA derives from its unique pattern of activity. Its levels exhibit a dramatic age-related decline that supports significant involvement of DHEA(S) in the aging process. Particularly relevant to the aging process is the functional decline that involves memory and cognitive abilities. DHEA is derived mainly from synthesis in the adrenal glands and gonads. It can also be detected in the brain where it is derived from a synthesis that is independent from peripheral steroid sources. For this reason DHEA and other steroid molecules have been named "neurosteroids." Pharmacological studies on animals provided evidence that neurosteroids could be involved in learning and memory processes because they can display memory-enhancing properties in aged rodents. However, human studies have reported contradictory results that so far do not directly support the use of DHEA in aging-related conditions. As such, it is important to remember that plasma levels of DHEA(S) may not reflect levels in the central nervous system (CNS), due to intrinsic ability of the brain to produce neurosteroids. Thus, the importance of neurosteroids in the memory process and in age-related cognitive impairment should not be dismissed. Furthermore, the fact that the compound is sold in most countries as a health food supplement is hampering the rigorous scientific evaluation of its potential. We will describe the effect of neurosteroids, in particular DHEA, on neurochemical mechanism involved in memory and learning. We will focus on a novel effect on a signal transduction mechanism involving a classical "cognitive kinase" such as protein kinase C. The final objective is to provide additional tools to understand the physiological role and therapeutic potentials of neurosteroids in normal and/or pathological aging, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Racchi
- Department of Experimental and Applied Pharmacology, University of Pavia, Italy.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Baulieu ÉÉ. Neurostéroïdes, leur rôle dans le fonctionnement du cerveau : neurotrophicité, mémoire, vieillissement... BULLETIN DE L'ACADÉMIE NATIONALE DE MÉDECINE 2001. [DOI: 10.1016/s0001-4079(19)34562-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
|
24
|
Chanoine JP, Compagnone NA, Wong AC, Mellon SH. Modulation of steroidogenesis by selenium in a novel adrenal cell line developed using targeted tumorigenesis. Biofactors 2001; 14:229-38. [PMID: 11568460 DOI: 10.1002/biof.5520140129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Glutathione peroxidase (GPx-1) is a selenoenzyme that metabolizes H(2)O(2), a source of potentially toxic free radicals. Steroidogenesis is markedly inhibited by H(2)O(2) in vitro. OBJECTIVE to study the effects of selenium deficiency on GPx activity and adrenal steroidogenesis in a novel adrenal cell line developed using targeted tumorigenesis. METHODS AN4Rppc7 cells were grown for 7 days in serum-free medium. 8-Br-cAMP-stimulated concentrations of steroid hormones were measured by RIA. StAR (Steroid Acute Reactive Protein) mRNA was measured by Northern blot. RESULTS selenium deficiency caused a 99% There was a 51%, progesterone, corticosterone and aldosterone production, respectively (p<0.05 by ANOVA). StAR mRNA was not affected by selenium. CONCLUSIONS selenium deficiency causes a marked decrease in GPx activity. Decreased steroid hormone production occurs for selenium concentrations equal or lower than 5 nM. The absence of changes in StAR mRNA content suggests that selenium deficiency does not affect cholesterol access to the mitochondria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J P Chanoine
- Department of Pediatrics, Endocrine and Diabetes Unit, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V5Z 4H4, BC, Canada.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Compagnone NA, Zhang P, Vigne JL, Mellon SH. Novel role for the nuclear phosphoprotein SET in transcriptional activation of P450c17 and initiation of neurosteroidogenesis. Mol Endocrinol 2000; 14:875-88. [PMID: 10847589 DOI: 10.1210/mend.14.6.0469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurosteroids are important endogenous regulators of gamma-aminobutryic acid (GABA(A)) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and also influence neuronal morphology and function. Neurosteroids are produced in the brain using many of the same enzymes found in the adrenal and gonad. The crucial enzyme for the synthesis of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) in the brain is cytochrome P450c17. The transcriptional strategy for the expression of P450c17 is clearly different in the brain from that in the adrenal or gonad. We previously characterized a novel transcriptional regulator from Leydig MA-10 cells, termed StF-IT-1, that binds at bases -447/-399 of the rat P450c17 promoter, along with the known transcription factors COUP-TF (chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor), NGF-IB (nerve growth factor inducible protein B), and SF-1 (steroidogenic factor-1). We have now purified and sequenced this protein from immature porcine testes, identifying it as the nuclear phosphoprotein SET; a role for SET in transcription was not established previously. Binding of bacterially expressed human and rat SET to the DNA site at -418/-399 of the rat P450c17 gene transactivates P450c17 in neuronal and in testicular Leydig cells. We also found SET expressed in human NT2 neuronal precursor cells, implicating a role in neurosteroidogenesis. Immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization in the mouse fetus show that the ontogeny and distribution of SET in the developing nervous system are consistent with SET being crucial for initiating P450c17 transcription. SET's developmental pattern of expression suggests it may participate in the early ontogenesis of the nervous, as well as the skeletal and hematopoietic, systems. These studies delineate an important new factor in the transcriptional regulation of P450c17 and consequently, in the production of DHEA and sex steroids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N A Compagnone
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco 94143-0556, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
Over the past decade, it has become clear that the brain is a steroidogenic organ. The steroids synthesized by the brain and nervous system, given the name neurosteroids, have a wide variety of diverse functions. In general, they mediate their actions, not through classic steroid hormone nuclear receptors, but through ion-gated neurotransmitter receptors. This paper summarizes what is known about the biosynthesis of neurosteroids, the enzymes mediating these reactions, their localization during development and in the adult, and their function and mechanisms of action in the developing and adult central and peripheral nervous systems. The expression of the steroidogenic enzymes is developmentally regulated, with some enzymes being expressed only during development, while others are expressed during development and in the adult. These enzymes are expressed in both neurons and glia, suggesting that these two cell types must work in concert to produce the appropriate active neurosteroid. The functions attributed to specific neurosteroids include modulation of GABA(A) and NMDA function, modulation of sigma receptor function, regulation of myelinization, neuroprotection, and growth of axons and dendrites. Neurosteroids have also been shown to modulate expression of particular subunits of GABA(A) and NMDA receptors, providing additional sites at which these compounds can regulate neural function. The pharmacological properties of specific neurosteroids are described, and potential uses of neurosteroids in specific neuropathologies and during normal aging in humans are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N A Compagnone
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 94143-0556, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Mellon SH, Compagnone NA, Zhang P. Orphan receptors, proto-oncogenes and other nuclear factors regulate P450C17 gene transcription. Endocr Res 1998; 24:505-13. [PMID: 9888531 DOI: 10.3109/07435809809032639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Concerted, regulated expression of the rat P450c17 gene relies on the combined participation of multiple DNA regions and factors that bind to these sequences. SF-1 binds to at least two different regions, and has activities dependent upon the DNA context. COUP-TF, NGF-IB, together with SF-1, bind to overlapping regions, and the interaction among these factors increases or decreases transcription. A newly identified factor, the proto-oncogene SET, binds to a portion of the COUP-TF site, and strongly activates P450c17 transcription. SET mRNA is highly expressed early during development, and its expression decreases thereafter. P450c17 expression is not restricted to steroidogenic tissues, but rather is highly expressed in specific locations in the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous systems (PNS) during development, where its steroidal products may regulate neuronal maturation. We have shown that physiologic concentrations of steroids derived from P450c17 activity, DHEA and DHEAS, have direct and distinct effects on neocortical axonal and dendritic growth and differentiation. In the CNS and PNS, SET mRNA is expressed in regions where we previously reported P450c17 expression. The ontogeny of SET expression in CNS and PNS tissues as well as in steroidogenic tissues precedes P450c17 expression, suggesting that in addition to regulating P450c17 gene transcription in adrenals and gonads, SET may be crucial for the regulation of P450c17 gene transcription in the CNS and PNS as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S H Mellon
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, The Reproductive Endocrinology Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Compagnone NA, Mellon SH. Dehydroepiandrosterone: a potential signalling molecule for neocortical organization during development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1998; 95:4678-83. [PMID: 9539798 PMCID: PMC22550 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.95.8.4678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 236] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/1996] [Accepted: 01/22/1998] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate derivative (DHEAS) are the most abundant steroids produced by the human adrenal, but no receptors have been identified for these steroids, and no function for them has been established, other than as precursors for sex steroid synthesis. DHEA and DHEAS are found in brains from many species, and we have shown that enzymes crucial for their synthesis, especially P450c17 (17alpha-hydroxylase/c17,20 lyase), are expressed in a developmentally regulated, region-specific fashion in the developing rodent brain. One region of embryonic expression of P450c17, the neocortical subplate, has been postulated to play a role in guiding cortical projections to their appropriate targets. We therefore determined if products of P450c17 activity, DHEA and DHEAS, regulated the motility and/or growth of neocortical neurons. In primary cultures of mouse embryonic neocortical neurons, DHEA increased the length of neurites containing the axonal marker Tau-1, and the incidence of varicosities and basket-like process formations in a dose-dependent fashion. These effects could be seen at concentrations normally found in the brain. By contrast, DHEAS had no effect on Tau-1 axonal neurites but increased the length of neurites containing the dendritic marker microtubule-associated protein-2. DHEA rapidly increased free intracellular calcium via activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. These studies provide evidence of mechanisms by which DHEA and DHEAS exert biological actions, show that they have specific functions other than as sex steroid precursors, mediate their effects via non-classic steroid hormone receptors, and suggest that their developmentally regulated synthesis in vivo may play crucial and different roles in organizing the neocortex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N A Compagnone
- Reproductive Endocrinology Center, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, and The Metabolic Research Unit, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0556, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|