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Matoba H, Fujii C, Maruyama K, Kawakubo M, Momose M, Sano K, Imamura H, Kurihara H, Nakayama J. Sirt3 Regulates Proliferation and Progesterone Production in Leydig Cells via Suppression of Reactive Oxygen Species. Endocrinology 2024; 165:bqae017. [PMID: 38354290 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqae017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Sirt3 is a mitochondrial protein deacetylase functioning in energy metabolism, regulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and aging. Although Sirt3 loss has negative effects on fertility of oocytes during in vitro fertilization and on progesterone production in granulosa cells, Sirt3's function in Leydig cells remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated Sirt3 activity in Leydig cells, focusing on androgen production. To do so, we performed immunohistochemistry to confirm Sirt3 localization in gonads and observed strong Sirt3 immunostaining in Leydig cells of human testes and of Sirt3+/+ and Sirt3+/- mouse testes, while Sirt3-/- mouse testis tissue was negative. In human ovary, hilus cells were strongly Sirt3-positive, theca cells showed weak positivity, and granulosa cells showed very weak or almost no immunostaining. Next, we used the murine Leydig tumor cell line MA-10 as a model. We overexpressed Sirt3 but observed no changes in proliferation, expression of Star, Cyp11a1 (p450scc gene), and Hsd3b, or progesterone production in MA-10 cells. Sirt3 knockdown significantly reduced proliferation, suppressed expressions of steroidogenic enzymes and of transcription factors Ad4bp (Sf-1 gene) and Gata4, and decreased progesterone production. Sirt3 knockdown in MA-10 cells also increased intracellular ROS levels based on CM-H2DCFDA fluorescence dye analysis and increased the proportion of both early and late apoptotic (necrotic) cells based on Annexin V/7AAD assays. These results indicate that Sirt3 has a potential function in androgen production in Leydig cells by regulating intracellular ROS levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisanori Matoba
- Department of Infection and Host Defense, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
| | - Chifumi Fujii
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
- Center for Medical Education and Clinical Training, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Maruyama
- Department of Physiological Chemistry and Metabolism, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku 113-8654, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Pathology and Matrix Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu 514-0001, Japan
| | - Masatomo Kawakubo
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
| | - Masanobu Momose
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Shinshu University Hospital, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
| | - Kenji Sano
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Shinshu University Hospital, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
| | - Hitomi Imamura
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Shinshu University Hospital, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kurihara
- Department of Physiological Chemistry and Metabolism, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku 113-8654, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jun Nakayama
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
- Department of Pathology, North Alps Medical Center Azumi Hospital, Ikeda-machi, Kitaazumi-gun 399-8695, Japan
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Zhu J, Xu Z, Wu P, Zeng C, Peng C, Zhou Y, Xue Q. MicroRNA-92a-3p Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Invasion by Regulating the Transcription Factor 21/Steroidogenic Factor 1 Axis in Endometriosis. Reprod Sci 2023; 30:2188-2197. [PMID: 36650372 PMCID: PMC10310800 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00734-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Endometriosis (EMS) is an estrogen-dependent disease. However, little is known about the regulation of estrogen, a potential therapeutic target, in EMS, which remains very poorly managed in the clinic. We hypothesized that microRNAs (miRNAs) can be exploited therapeutically to regulate transcription factor 21 (TCF21) and steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) gene expression. In our study, paired eutopic and ectopic endometrial samples were obtained from women with EMS and processed by a standard protocol to obtain human endometrial stromal cells (EMs) for in vitro studies. We found that miR-92a-3p levels were decreased in ectopic endometrium and ectopic stromal cells (ESCs) compared with paired eutopic lesions. miR-92a-3p overexpression significantly suppressed the proliferation and migration of ESCs, whereas a decreased level of miR-92a-3p generated the opposite results. Next, we identified TCF21 as a candidate target gene of miR-92a-3p. In vitro cell experiments showed that miR-92a-3p negatively regulated the expression of TCF21 and its downstream target gene SF-1. Moreover, cell proliferation and invasion ability decreased after the silencing of SF-1 and increased after SF-1 overexpression. We also observed that silencing SF-1 while inhibiting miR-92a-3p partially blocked the increase in cell proliferation and invasion ability caused by miR-92a-3p knockdown while overexpressing both SF-1 and miR-92a-3p mitigated the impairment in cell proliferation and invasion ability caused by miR-92a-3p overexpression. Our results may provide a novel potential therapeutic target for the treatment of EMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, No.1 Xi'anmen Street, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Zijin Xu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, and Key Laboratory for Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peili Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, No.1 Xi'anmen Street, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Cheng Zeng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, No.1 Xi'anmen Street, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Chao Peng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, No.1 Xi'anmen Street, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Yingfang Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, No.1 Xi'anmen Street, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Qing Xue
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, No.1 Xi'anmen Street, Beijing, 100034, China.
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Sedlack AJH, Hatfield SJ, Kumar S, Arakawa Y, Roper N, Sun NY, Nilubol N, Kiseljak-Vassiliades K, Hoang CD, Bergsland EK, Hernandez JM, Pommier Y, del Rivero J. Preclinical Models of Adrenocortical Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2873. [PMID: 37296836 PMCID: PMC10251941 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Adrenocortical cancer is an aggressive endocrine malignancy with an incidence of 0.72 to 1.02 per million people/year, and a very poor prognosis with a five-year survival rate of 22%. As an orphan disease, clinical data are scarce, meaning that drug development and mechanistic research depend especially on preclinical models. While a single human ACC cell line was available for the last three decades, over the last five years, many new in vitro and in vivo preclinical models have been generated. Herein, we review both in vitro (cell lines, spheroids, and organoids) and in vivo (xenograft and genetically engineered mouse) models. Striking leaps have been made in terms of the preclinical models of ACC, and there are now several modern models available publicly and in repositories for research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. H. Sedlack
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Samual J. Hatfield
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Suresh Kumar
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yasuhiro Arakawa
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nitin Roper
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nai-Yun Sun
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Naris Nilubol
- Surgical Oncology Program National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Katja Kiseljak-Vassiliades
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80016, USA
| | - Chuong D. Hoang
- Thoracic Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Emily K. Bergsland
- University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Yves Pommier
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jaydira del Rivero
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Steroidogenic Factor 1, a Goldilocks Transcription Factor from Adrenocortical Organogenesis to Malignancy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043585. [PMID: 36835002 PMCID: PMC9959402 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1, also termed Ad4BP; NR5A1 in the official nomenclature) is a nuclear receptor transcription factor that plays a crucial role in the regulation of adrenal and gonadal development, function and maintenance. In addition to its classical role in regulating the expression of P450 steroid hydroxylases and other steroidogenic genes, involvement in other key processes such as cell survival/proliferation and cytoskeleton dynamics have also been highlighted for SF-1. SF-1 has a restricted pattern of expression, being expressed along the hypothalamic-pituitary axis and in steroidogenic organs since the time of their establishment. Reduced SF-1 expression affects proper gonadal and adrenal organogenesis and function. On the other hand, SF-1 overexpression is found in adrenocortical carcinoma and represents a prognostic marker for patients' survival. This review is focused on the current knowledge about SF-1 and the crucial importance of its dosage for adrenal gland development and function, from its involvement in adrenal cortex formation to tumorigenesis. Overall, data converge towards SF-1 being a key player in the complex network of transcriptional regulation within the adrenal gland in a dosage-dependent manner.
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Development of Human Adrenocortical Adenoma (HAA1) Cell Line from Zona Reticularis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010584. [PMID: 36614027 PMCID: PMC9820690 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The human adrenal cortex is composed of distinct zones that are the main source of steroid hormone production. The mechanism of adrenocortical cell differentiation into several functionally organized populations with distinctive identities remains poorly understood. Human adrenal disease has been difficult to study, in part due to the absence of cultured cell lines that faithfully represent adrenal cell precursors in the early stages of transformation. Here, Human Adrenocortical Adenoma (HAA1) cell line derived from a patient's macronodular adrenocortical hyperplasia and was treated with histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) and gene expression was examined. We describe a patient-derived HAA1 cell line derived from the zona reticularis, the innermost zone of the adrenal cortex. The HAA1 cell line is unique in its ability to exit a latent state and respond with steroidogenic gene expression upon treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors. The gene expression pattern of differentiated HAA1 cells partially recreates the roster of genes in the adrenal layer that they have been derived from. Gene ontology analysis of whole genome RNA-seq corroborated increased expression of steroidogenic genes upon HDAC inhibition. Surprisingly, HDACi treatment induced broad activation of the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) alpha pathway. This novel cell line we developed will hopefully be instrumental in understanding the molecular and biochemical mechanisms controlling adrenocortical differentiation and steroidogenesis.
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Transgenic Mouse Models to Study the Development and Maintenance of the Adrenal Cortex. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214388. [PMID: 36430866 PMCID: PMC9693478 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The cortex of the adrenal gland is organized into concentric zones that produce distinct steroid hormones essential for body homeostasis in mammals. Mechanisms leading to the development, zonation and maintenance of the adrenal cortex are complex and have been studied since the 1800s. However, the advent of genetic manipulation and transgenic mouse models over the past 30 years has revolutionized our understanding of these mechanisms. This review lists and details the distinct Cre recombinase mouse strains available to study the adrenal cortex, and the remarkable progress total and conditional knockout mouse models have enabled us to make in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating the development and maintenance of the adrenal cortex.
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7
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Sepponen K, Lundin K, Yohannes DA, Vuoristo S, Balboa D, Poutanen M, Ohlsson C, Hustad S, Bifulco E, Paloviita P, Otonkoski T, Ritvos O, Sainio K, Tapanainen JS, Tuuri T. Steroidogenic factor 1 (NR5A1) induces multiple transcriptional changes during differentiation of human gonadal-like cells. Differentiation 2022; 128:83-100. [DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2022.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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8
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Kamiyama T, Niwa R. Transcriptional Regulators of Ecdysteroid Biosynthetic Enzymes and Their Roles in Insect Development. Front Physiol 2022; 13:823418. [PMID: 35211033 PMCID: PMC8863297 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.823418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Steroid hormones are responsible for coordinating many aspects of biological processes in most multicellular organisms, including insects. Ecdysteroid, the principal insect steroid hormone, is biosynthesized from dietary cholesterol or plant sterols. In the last 20 years, a number of ecdysteroidogenic enzymes, including Noppera-bo, Neverland, Shroud, Spook/Spookier, Cyp6t3, Phantom, Disembodied, Shadow, and Shade, have been identified and characterized in molecular genetic studies using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. These enzymes are encoded by genes collectively called the Halloween genes. The transcriptional regulatory network, governed by multiple regulators of transcription, chromatin remodeling, and endoreplication, has been shown to be essential for the spatiotemporal expression control of Halloween genes in D. melanogaster. In this review, we summarize the latest information on transcriptional regulators that are crucial for controlling the expression of ecdysteroid biosynthetic enzymes and their roles in insect development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Kamiyama
- College of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
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Abou Nader N, Boyer A. Adrenal Cortex Development and Maintenance: Knowledge Acquired From Mouse Models. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6362524. [PMID: 34473283 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab187] [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: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The adrenal cortex is an endocrine organ organized into concentric zones that are specialized to produce specific steroid hormones essential for life. The development and maintenance of the adrenal cortex are complex, as a fetal adrenal is first formed from a common primordium with the gonads, followed by its separation in a distinct primordium, the invasion of the adrenal primordium by neural crest-derived cells to form the medulla, and finally its encapsulation. The fetal cortex is then replaced by a definitive cortex, which will establish zonation and be maintained throughout life by regeneration relying on the proliferation, centripetal migration, and differentiation of several stem/progenitor cell populations whose activities are sex-specific. Here, we highlight the advances made, using transgenic mouse models, to delineate the molecular mechanisms regulating these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour Abou Nader
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada
| | - Alexandre Boyer
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada
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Bunce C, McKey J, Capel B. Concerted morphogenesis of genital ridges and nephric ducts in the mouse captured through whole-embryo imaging. Development 2021; 148:dev199208. [PMID: 33795229 PMCID: PMC8242465 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
During development of the mouse urogenital complex, the gonads undergo changes in three-dimensional structure, body position and spatial relationship with the mesonephric ducts, kidneys and adrenals. The complexity of genital ridge development obscures potential connections between morphogenesis and gonadal sex determination. To characterize the morphogenic processes implicated in regulating gonad shape and fate, we used whole-embryo tissue clearing and light sheet microscopy to assemble a time course of gonad development in native form and context. Analysis revealed that gonad morphology is determined through anterior-to-posterior patterns as well as increased rates of growth, rotation and separation in the central domain that may contribute to regionalization of the gonad. We report a close alignment of gonad and mesonephric duct movements as well as delayed duct development in a gonad dysgenesis mutant, which together support a mechanical dependency linking gonad and mesonephric duct morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Blanche Capel
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Morohashi KI, Inoue M, Baba T. Coordination of Multiple Cellular Processes by NR5A1/Nr5a1. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul) 2020; 35:756-764. [PMID: 33397036 PMCID: PMC7803590 DOI: 10.3803/enm.2020.402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The agenesis of the gonads and adrenal gland in revealed by knockout mouse studies strongly suggested a crucial role for Nr5a1 (SF-1 or Ad4BP) in organ development. In relation to these striking phenotypes, NR5A1/Nr5a1 has the potential to reprogram cells to steroidogenic cells, endow pluripotency, and regulate cell proliferation. However, due to limited knowledge regarding NR5A1 target genes, the mechanism by which NR5A1/Nr5a1 regulates these fundamental processes has remained unknown. Recently, newlyestablished technologies have enabled the identification of NR5A1 target genes related to multiple metabolic processes, as well as the aforementioned biological processes. Considering that active cellular processes are expected to be accompanied by active metabolism, NR5A1 may act as a key factor for processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation, and survival by coordinating these processes with cellular metabolism. A complete and definite picture of the cellular processes coordinated by NR5A1/Nr5a1 could be depicted by accumulating evidence of the potential target genes through whole genome studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken-Ichirou Morohashi
- Division of Biology of Sex Differences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Miki Inoue
- Division of Biology of Sex Differences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takashi Baba
- Division of Biology of Sex Differences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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12
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Kim JH, Choi MH. Embryonic Development and Adult Regeneration of the Adrenal Gland. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul) 2020; 35:765-773. [PMID: 33397037 PMCID: PMC7803617 DOI: 10.3803/enm.2020.403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The adrenal gland plays a pivotal role in an organism's health span by controlling the endocrine system. Decades of research on the adrenal gland have provided multiscale insights into the development and maintenance of this essential organ. A particularly interesting finding is that founder stem/progenitor cells participate in adrenocortical development and enable the adult adrenal cortex to regenerate itself in response to hormonal stress and injury. Since major advances have been made in understanding the dynamics of the developmental process and the remarkable regenerative capacity of the adrenal gland, understanding the mechanisms underlying adrenal development, maintenance, and regeneration will be of interest to basic and clinical researchers. Here, we introduce the developmental processes of the adrenal gland and discuss current knowledge regarding stem/progenitor cells that regulate adrenal cortex remodeling and regeneration. This review will provide insights into the fascinating ongoing research on the development and regeneration of the adrenal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hoon Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul,
Korea
| | - Man Ho Choi
- Molecular Recognition Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul,
Korea
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Kastriti ME, Kameneva P, Adameyko I. Stem cells, evolutionary aspects and pathology of the adrenal medulla: A new developmental paradigm. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 518:110998. [PMID: 32818585 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian adrenal gland is composed of two main components; the catecholaminergic neural crest-derived medulla, found in the center of the gland, and the mesoderm-derived cortex producing steroidogenic hormones. The medulla is composed of neuroendocrine chromaffin cells with oxygen-sensing properties and is dependent on tissue interactions with the overlying cortex, both during development and in adulthood. Other relevant organs include the Zuckerkandl organ containing extra-adrenal chromaffin cells, and carotid oxygen-sensing bodies containing glomus cells. Chromaffin and glomus cells reveal a number of important similarities and are derived from the multipotent nerve-associated descendants of the neural crest, or Schwann cell precursors. Abnormalities in complex developmental processes during differentiation of nerve-associated and other progenitors into chromaffin and oxygen-sensing populations may result in different subtypes of paraganglioma, neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma. Here, we summarize recent findings explaining the development of chromaffin and oxygen-sensing cells, as well as the potential mechanisms driving neuroendocrine tumor initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eleni Kastriti
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden; Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Polina Kameneva
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden; National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Igor Adameyko
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden; Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Neuroimmunology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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14
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Francis JC, Gardiner JR, Renaud Y, Chauhan R, Weinstein Y, Gomez-Sanchez C, Lefrançois-Martinez AM, Bertherat J, Val P, Swain A. HOX genes promote cell proliferation and are potential therapeutic targets in adrenocortical tumours. Br J Cancer 2020; 124:805-816. [PMID: 33214683 PMCID: PMC7884796 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-020-01166-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Understanding the pathways that drive adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is essential to the development of more effective therapies. This study investigates the role of the transcription factor HOXB9 and other HOX factors in ACC and its treatment. Methods We used transgenic mouse models to determine the role of Hoxb9 in adrenal tumour development. Patient transcriptomic data was analysed for the expression of HOX genes and their association with disease. Drug response studies on various adrenocortical models were done to establish novel therapeutic options. Results Our human ACC dataset analyses showed high expression of HOXB9, and other HOX factors, are associated with poorer prognosis. Transgenic overexpression of Hoxb9 in the adrenal cortex of mice with activated Ctnnb1 led to larger adrenal tumours. This phenotype was preferentially observed in male mice and was characterised by more proliferating cells and an increase in the expression of cell cycle genes, including Ccne1. Adrenal tumour cells were found to be dependent on HOX function for survival and were sensitive to a specific peptide inhibitor. Conclusions These studies show Hoxb9 can promote adrenal tumour progression in a sex-dependent manner and have identified HOX factors as potential drug targets, leading to novel therapeutic approaches in ACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey C Francis
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, UK
| | - Jennifer R Gardiner
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, UK
| | - Yoan Renaud
- Genétique Reproduction & Développement, CNRS UMR 6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Ritika Chauhan
- Tumour Profiling Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, UK
| | - Yacob Weinstein
- The Shraga Segal Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Celso Gomez-Sanchez
- Division of Endocrinology, Medical Service, G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center, 1500 E. Woodrow Wilson Dr, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Anne-Marie Lefrançois-Martinez
- Genétique Reproduction & Développement, CNRS UMR 6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Jérôme Bertherat
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université Paris Descartes, UMR-S1016, 75014, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Val
- Genétique Reproduction & Développement, CNRS UMR 6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Amanda Swain
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, UK.
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15
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Gahete MD, Jimenez-Vacas JM, Alors-Perez E, Herrero-Aguayo V, Fuentes-Fayos AC, Pedraza-Arevalo S, Castaño JP, Luque RM. Mouse models in endocrine tumors. J Endocrinol 2018; 240:JOE-18-0571.R1. [PMID: 30475226 DOI: 10.1530/joe-18-0571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Endocrine and neuroendocrine tumors comprise a highly heterogeneous group of neoplasms that can arise from (neuro)endocrine cells, either from endocrine glands or from the widespread diffuse neuroendocrine system, and, consequently, are widely distributed throughout the body. Due to their diversity, heterogeneity and limited incidence, studying in detail the molecular and genetic alterations that underlie their development and progression is still a highly elusive task. This, in turn, hinders the discovery of novel therapeutic options for these tumors. To circumvent these limitations, numerous mouse models of endocrine and neuroendocrine tumors have been developed, characterized and used in pre-clinical, co-clinical (implemented in mouse models and patients simultaneously) and post-clinical studies, for they represent powerful and necessary tools in basic and translational tumor biology research. Indeed, different in vivo mouse models, including cell line-based xenografts (CDXs), patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) and genetically engineered mouse models (GEMs), have been used to delineate the development, progression and behavior of human tumors. Results gained with these in vivo models have facilitated the clinical application in patients of diverse breakthrough discoveries made in this field. Herein, we review the generation, characterization and translatability of the most prominent mouse models of endocrine and neuroendocrine tumors reported to date, as well as the most relevant clinical implications obtained for each endocrine and neuroendocrine tumor type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel D Gahete
- M Gahete, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Cordoba, 14011, Spain
| | - Juan M Jimenez-Vacas
- J Jimenez-Vacas, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Emilia Alors-Perez
- E Alors-Perez, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Inmunology, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research of Cordoba (IMIBIC) / University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Vicente Herrero-Aguayo
- V Herrero-Aguayo, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Antonio C Fuentes-Fayos
- A Fuentes-Fayos, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Sergio Pedraza-Arevalo
- S Pedraza-Arevalo, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Justo P Castaño
- J Castaño, Dpt. of Cell Biology-University of Córdoba, IMIBIC-Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba, Cordoba, E-14004, Spain
| | - Raul M Luque
- R Luque, Dept of Cell Biology, Phisiology and Inmunology, Section of Cell Biology, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain, Cordoba, 14014, Spain
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16
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Lotfi CFP, Kremer JL, dos Santos Passaia B, Cavalcante IP. The human adrenal cortex: growth control and disorders. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2018; 73:e473s. [PMID: 30208164 PMCID: PMC6113920 DOI: 10.6061/clinics/2018/e473s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes key knowledge regarding the development, growth, and growth disorders of the adrenal cortex from a molecular perspective. The adrenal gland consists of two distinct regions: the cortex and the medulla. During embryological development and transition to the adult adrenal gland, the adrenal cortex acquires three different structural and functional zones. Significant progress has been made in understanding the signaling and molecules involved during adrenal cortex zonation. Equally significant is the knowledge obtained regarding the action of peptide factors involved in the maintenance of zonation of the adrenal cortex, such as peptides derived from proopiomelanocortin processing, adrenocorticotropin and N-terminal proopiomelanocortin. Findings regarding the development, maintenance and growth of the adrenal cortex and the molecular factors involved has improved the scientific understanding of disorders that affect adrenal cortex growth. Hypoplasia, hyperplasia and adrenocortical tumors, including adult and pediatric adrenocortical adenomas and carcinomas, are described together with findings regarding molecular and pathway alterations. Comprehensive genomic analyses of adrenocortical tumors have shown gene expression profiles associated with malignancy as well as methylation alterations and the involvement of miRNAs. These findings provide a new perspective on the diagnosis, therapeutic possibilities and prognosis of adrenocortical disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudimara Ferini Pacicco Lotfi
- Departamento de Anatomia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
- *Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | - Jean Lucas Kremer
- Departamento de Anatomia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Barbara dos Santos Passaia
- Departamento de Anatomia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Isadora Pontes Cavalcante
- Departamento de Anatomia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
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17
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Johnston ZC, Bellingham M, Filis P, Soffientini U, Hough D, Bhattacharya S, Simard M, Hammond GL, King P, O'Shaughnessy PJ, Fowler PA. The human fetal adrenal produces cortisol but no detectable aldosterone throughout the second trimester. BMC Med 2018; 16:23. [PMID: 29429410 PMCID: PMC5808459 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-018-1009-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human fetal adrenal glands are highly active and, with the placenta, regulate circulating progesterone, estrogen and corticosteroids in the fetus. At birth the adrenals are essential for neonate salt retention through secretion of aldosterone, while adequate glucocorticoids are required to prevent adrenal insufficiency. The objective of this study was to carry out the first comprehensive analysis of adrenal steroid levels and steroidogenic enzyme expression in normal second trimester human fetuses. METHODS This was an observational study of steroids, messenger RNA transcripts and proteins in adrenals from up to 109 second trimester fetuses (11 weeks to 21 weeks) at the Universities of Aberdeen and Glasgow. The study design was balanced to show effects of maternal smoking. RESULTS Concentrations of 19 intra-adrenal steroids were quantified using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Pregnenolone was the most abundant steroid while levels of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) and progesterone were also high. Cortisol was present in all adrenals, but aldosterone was undetected and Δ4 androgens were low/undetected. CYP17A1, CYP21A2 and CYP11A1 were all highly expressed and the proteins localized to the adrenal fetal zone. There was low-level expression of HSD3B and CYP11B2, with HSD3B located mainly in the definitive zone. Maternal smoking altered fetal plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) (P = 0.052) and intra-adrenal progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and 16α-hydroxyprogesterone, but not plasma or intra-adrenal cortisol, or intra-adrenal DHEAS. Fetal adrenal GATA6 and NR5A1 were increased by maternal smoking. CONCLUSIONS The human fetal adrenal gland produces cortisol but very low levels of Δ4 androgens and no detectable aldosterone throughout the second trimester. The presence of cortisol in fetal adrenals suggests that adrenal regulation of circulating fetal ACTH remains a factor in development of congenital adrenal hyperplasia during the second trimester, while a relative lack of aldosterone explains the salt-wasting disorders frequently seen in extreme pre-term neonates. Finally, maternal smoking may alter fetal adrenal sensitivity to ACTH, which could have knock-on effects on post-natal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe C Johnston
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Michelle Bellingham
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Panagiotis Filis
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Ugo Soffientini
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Denise Hough
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Siladitya Bhattacharya
- Institute of Applied Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Marc Simard
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Geoffrey L Hammond
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Peter King
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Peter J O'Shaughnessy
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Paul A Fowler
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK.
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18
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Gotlieb N, Albaz E, Shaashua L, Sorski L, Matzner P, Rosenne E, Amram B, Benbenishty A, Golomb E, Ben-Eliyahu S. Regeneration of Functional Adrenal Tissue Following Bilateral Adrenalectomy. Endocrinology 2018; 159:248-259. [PMID: 29059290 PMCID: PMC5761594 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
It is assumed that after complete bilateral adrenalectomy (ADX), no adrenal tissue will redevelop and adrenal hormone levels will remain low and unaffected by stress. However, anecdotal observations in animals and in patients suggest that under some unknown circumstances the opposite can occur. Herein, we studied whether adrenalectomized rats can develop an alternative source of systemic corticosterone after complete bilateral ADX with minimal replacement therapy. Male and female rats underwent either a standard ADX, in which the glands were removed with minimal surrounding adipose tissue, or an extensive ADX, in which glands were removed with most surrounding adipose tissue. Excised glands were histologically tested for completeness, and corticosterone replacement was nullified within 1 to 3 weeks postoperatively. In four experiments and in both excision approaches, some rats gradually reestablished baseline corticosterone levels and stress response in a time-dependent manner, but differences were observed in the reestablishing rates: 80% in standard ADX vs 20% in extensive ADX. Upon searching for the source of corticosterone secretion, we were surprised to find functional macroscopic foci of adrenocortical tissue without medullary tissue, mostly proximal to the original location. Chronic stress accelerated corticosterone level reestablishment. We hypothesized that underlying this phenomenon were preexisting ectopic microscopic foci of adrenocortical-like tissue or a few adrenal cells that were pre-embedded in surrounding tissue or detached from the excised gland upon removal. We concluded that adrenalectomized animals may develop compensatory mechanisms and suggest that studies employing ADX consider additional corticosterone supplementation, minimize stress, and verify the absence of circulating corticosterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neta Gotlieb
- Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
- Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Sagol School of Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ely Albaz
- Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Sagol School of Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Lee Shaashua
- Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Sagol School of Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Liat Sorski
- Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Sagol School of Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Pini Matzner
- Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Sagol School of Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ella Rosenne
- Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Sagol School of Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Benjamin Amram
- Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Sagol School of Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Amit Benbenishty
- Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Sagol School of Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Eli Golomb
- Institute of Pathology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem 9103102, Israel
| | - Shamgar Ben-Eliyahu
- Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Sagol School of Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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19
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Levasseur A, St-Jean G, Paquet M, Boerboom D, Boyer A. Targeted Disruption of YAP and TAZ Impairs the Maintenance of the Adrenal Cortex. Endocrinology 2017; 158:3738-3753. [PMID: 28938438 PMCID: PMC5695830 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [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: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) are functionally redundant transcriptional regulators that are downstream effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway. They act as major regulators of stem cell maintenance, cell growth, and differentiation. To characterize their roles in the adrenal cortex, we generated a mouse model in which Yap and Taz were conditionally deleted in steroidogenic cells (Yapflox/flox;Tazflox/flox;Nr5a1cre/+). Male Yapflox/flox;Tazflox/flox;Nr5a1cre/+ mice were characterized by an age-dependent degeneration of the adrenal cortex associated with an increase in apoptosis and a progressive reduction in the expression levels of steroidogenic genes. Evaluation of the expression levels of stem and progenitor cell population markers in the adrenal glands of Yapflox/flox;Tazflox/flox;Nr5a1cre/+ mice also showed the downregulation of sonic hedgehog (Shh), a marker of the subcapsular progenitor cell population. Gross degenerative changes were not observed in the adrenal glands of Yapflox/flox;Tazflox/flox;Nr5a1cre/+ females, although steroidogenic capacity and Shh expression were reduced, suggesting that mechanisms of adrenocortical maintenance are sex specific. These results define a crucial role for YAP and TAZ in the maintenance of the postnatal adrenal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien Levasseur
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Guillaume St-Jean
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Marilène Paquet
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Derek Boerboom
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Alexandre Boyer
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 7C6, Canada
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20
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Xing Y, Morohashi KI, Ingraham HA, Hammer GD. Timing of adrenal regression controlled by synergistic interaction between Sf1 SUMOylation and Dax1. Development 2017; 144:3798-3807. [PMID: 28893949 DOI: 10.1242/dev.150516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The nuclear receptor steroidogenic factor 1 (Sf1, Nr5a1, Ad4bp) is crucial for formation, development and function of steroidogenic tissues. A fetal adrenal enhancer (FAdE) in the Sf1 gene was previously identified to direct Sf1 expression exclusively in the fetal adrenal cortex and is bound by both Sf1 and Dax1. Here, we have examined the function of Sf1 SUMOylation and its interaction with Dax1 on FAdE function. A diffused prolonged pattern of FAdE expression and delayed regression of the postnatal fetal cortex (X-zone) were detected in both the SUMOylation-deficient-Sf12KR/2KR and Dax1 knockout mouse lines, with FAdE expression/activity retained in the postnatal 20αHSD-positive postnatal X-zone cells. In vitro studies indicated that Sf1 SUMOylation, although not directly influencing DNA binding, actually increased binding of Dax1 to Sf1 to further enhance transcriptional repression of FAdE. Taken together, these studies define a crucial repressor function of Sf1 SUMOylation and Dax1 in the physiological cessation of FAdE-mediated Sf1 expression and the resultant regression of the postnatal fetal cortex (X-zone).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yewei Xing
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Ken-Ichirou Morohashi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Holly A Ingraham
- Department of Cellular Molecular Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Gary D Hammer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
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21
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Li B, Baba T, Miyabayashi K, Sato T, Shima Y, Ichinose T, Miura D, Ohkawa Y, Suyama M, Morohashi KI. Role of Ad4-binding protein/steroidogenic factor 1 in regulating NADPH production in adrenocortical Y-1 cells. Endocr J 2017; 64:315-324. [PMID: 28202838 DOI: 10.1507/endocrj.ej16-0467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ad4-binding protein/steroidogenic factor 1 (Ad4BP/SF-1), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is expressed in steroidogenic cells and regulates all steroidogenic gene expression. We recently employed mRNA and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequence (ChIP-seq) to demonstrate that Ad4BP/SF-1 directly regulates the expression of nearly all glycolytic genes. The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) contributes to the production of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). Although the expression of PPP genes and intracellular NADPH were decreased by Ad4BP/SF-1 knockdown, these genes were not the direct targets of Ad4BP/SF-1. This study therefore investigates whether Ad4BP/SF-1 directly regulates genes implicated in NADPH production. Examination of previously published data sets of mRNA sequence (mRNA-seq) and ChIP-seq strongly suggested a possibility that other NADPH-producing genes, such as malic enzyme 1 (Me1) and methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 2 (Mthfd2), are the direct targets of Ad4BP/SF-1. Reporter gene assays and determination of intracellular NADPH concentration supported the notion that Ad4BP/SF-1 regulates NADPH production by regulating these genes. NADPH is required for macromolecule synthesis of compounds such as steroids, and for detoxification of reactive oxygen species. When synthesizing steroid hormones, steroidogenic cells consume NADPH through enzymatic reactions mediated by steroidogenic P450s. NADPH is also consumed through elimination of reactive oxygen species produced as the byproducts of the P450 reactions. Overall, Ad4BP/SF-1 potentially maintains the intracellular NADPH level through cooperative regulation of genes involved in the biological processes for consumption and supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Li
- Division of Systems Life Sciences, Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
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22
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Basham KJ, Hung HA, Lerario AM, Hammer GD. Mouse models of adrenocortical tumors. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2016; 421:82-97. [PMID: 26678830 PMCID: PMC4720156 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2015.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The molecular basis of the organogenesis, homeostasis, and tumorigenesis of the adrenal cortex has been the subject of intense study for many decades. Specifically, characterization of tumor predisposition syndromes with adrenocortical manifestations and molecular profiling of sporadic adrenocortical tumors have led to the discovery of key molecular pathways that promote pathological adrenal growth. However, given the observational nature of such studies, several important questions regarding the molecular pathogenesis of adrenocortical tumors have remained. This review will summarize naturally occurring and genetically engineered mouse models that have provided novel tools to explore the molecular and cellular underpinnings of adrenocortical tumors. New paradigms of cancer initiation, maintenance, and progression that have emerged from this work will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin J Basham
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, USA; Endocrine Oncology Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Holly A Hung
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, USA; Endocrine Oncology Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Antonio M Lerario
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, USA; Endocrine Oncology Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Gary D Hammer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, USA; Endocrine Oncology Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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23
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Niwa YS, Niwa R. Transcriptional regulation of insect steroid hormone biosynthesis and its role in controlling timing of molting and metamorphosis. Dev Growth Differ 2015; 58:94-105. [PMID: 26667894 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The developmental transition from juvenile to adult is often accompanied by many systemic changes in morphology, metabolism, and reproduction. Curiously, both mammalian puberty and insect metamorphosis are triggered by a pulse of steroid hormones, which can harmonize gene expression profiles in the body and thus orchestrate drastic biological changes. However, understanding of how the timing of steroid hormone biosynthesis is regulated at the molecular level is poor. The principal insect steroid hormone, ecdysteroid, is biosynthesized from dietary cholesterol in the specialized endocrine organ called the prothoracic gland. The periodic pulses of ecdysteroid titers determine the timing of molting and metamorphosis. To date, at least nine families of ecdysteroidogenic enzyme genes have been identified. Expression levels of these genes correlate well with ecdysteroid titers, indicating that the transcriptional regulatory network plays a critical role in regulating the ecdysteroid biosynthesis pathway. In this article, we summarize the transcriptional regulation of ecdysteroid biosynthesis. We first describe the development of prothoracic gland cells during Drosophila embryogenesis, and then provide an overview of the transcription factors that act in ecdysteroid biosynthesis and signaling. We also discuss the external signaling pathways that target these transcriptional regulators. Furthermore, we describe conserved and/or diverse aspects of steroid hormone biosynthesis in insect species as well as vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko S Niwa
- Life Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan.,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Honcho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi, 332-0012, Saitama, Japan
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24
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Komura-Kawa T, Hirota K, Shimada-Niwa Y, Yamauchi R, Shimell M, Shinoda T, Fukamizu A, O’Connor MB, Niwa R. The Drosophila Zinc Finger Transcription Factor Ouija Board Controls Ecdysteroid Biosynthesis through Specific Regulation of spookier. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005712. [PMID: 26658797 PMCID: PMC4684333 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Steroid hormones are crucial for many biological events in multicellular organisms. In insects, the principal steroid hormones are ecdysteroids, which play essential roles in regulating molting and metamorphosis. During larval and pupal development, ecdysteroids are synthesized in the prothoracic gland (PG) from dietary cholesterol via a series of hydroxylation and oxidation steps. The expression of all but one of the known ecdysteroid biosynthetic enzymes is restricted to the PG, but the transcriptional regulatory networks responsible for generating such exquisite tissue-specific regulation is only beginning to be elucidated. Here, we report identification and characterization of the C2H2-type zinc finger transcription factor Ouija board (Ouib) necessary for ecdysteroid production in the PG in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Expression of ouib is predominantly limited to the PG, and genetic null mutants of ouib result in larval developmental arrest that can be rescued by administrating an active ecdysteroid. Interestingly, ouib mutant animals exhibit a strong reduction in the expression of one ecdysteroid biosynthetic enzyme, spookier. Using a cell culture-based luciferase reporter assay, Ouib protein stimulates transcription of spok by binding to a specific ~15 bp response element in the spok PG enhancer element. Most remarkable, the developmental arrest phenotype of ouib mutants is rescued by over-expression of a functionally-equivalent paralog of spookier. These observations imply that the main biological function of Ouib is to specifically regulate spookier transcription during Drosophila development. Steroid hormones are crucial for development and reproduction in multicellular organisms. The spatially-restricted expression of almost all steroid biosynthesis genes is key to the specialization of steroid producing cells. In the last decade, insects have become the focus for research on the biosynthesis of the principal steroid hormones, ecdysteroids. However, the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling the ecdysteroid biosynthesis genes are largely unknown. Here we show that a novel zinc finger transcription factor Ouija board (Ouib) is essential for activating the expression of one ecdysteroid biosynthesis gene, spookier, in the ecdysteroid producing cells. Ouib is the first invertebrate transcription factor that is predominantly expressed in the steroidogenic organs and essential for development via inducing expression of the steroidogenic gene. In addition, this is the first report showing the catalytic step-specific control of steroid hormone biosynthesis through transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuya Komura-Kawa
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Keiko Hirota
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Life Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yuko Shimada-Niwa
- Life Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Rieko Yamauchi
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Life Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - MaryJane Shimell
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Tetsuro Shinoda
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Fukamizu
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Life Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Michael B. O’Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
- * E-mail:
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25
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Abstract
Since its discovery nearly 30 years ago, the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway has been shown to be pivotal in many developmental and pathophysiological processes in several steroidogenic tissues, including the testis, ovary, adrenal cortex, and placenta. New evidence links the evolutionarily conserved Hh pathway to the steroidogenic organs, demonstrating how Hh signaling can influence their development and homeostasis and can act in concert with steroids to mediate physiological functions. In this review, we highlight the role of the components of the Hh signaling pathway in steroidogenesis of endocrine tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Finco
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109; , ,
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26
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Abstract
The human adult adrenal cortex is composed of the zona glomerulosa (zG), zona fasciculata (zF), and zona reticularis (zR), which are responsible for production of mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and adrenal androgens, respectively. The final completion of cortical zonation in humans does not occur until puberty with the establishment of the zR and its production of adrenal androgens; a process called adrenarche. The maintenance of the adrenal cortex involves the centripetal displacement and differentiation of peripheral Sonic hedgehog-positive progenitors cells into zG cells that later transition to zF cells and subsequently zR cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yewei Xing
- Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, 1860 BSRB, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Antonio M Lerario
- Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, 1860 BSRB, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - William Rainey
- Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, 1860 BSRB, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 2560D MSRB II, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5622, USA
| | - Gary D Hammer
- Endocrine Oncology Program, Center for Organogenesis, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, 1528 BSRB, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA.
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27
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Abstract
Stem cells are endowed with the potential for self-renewal and multipotency. Pluripotent embryonic stem cells have an early role in the formation of the three germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm), whereas adult tissue stem cells and progenitor cells are critical mediators of organ homeostasis. The adrenal cortex is an exceptionally dynamic endocrine organ that is homeostatically maintained by paracrine and endocrine signals throughout postnatal life. In the past decade, much has been learned about the stem and progenitor cells of the adrenal cortex and the multiple roles that these cell populations have in normal development and homeostasis of the adrenal gland and in adrenal diseases. In this Review, we discuss the evidence for the presence of adrenocortical stem cells, as well as the various signalling molecules and transcriptional networks that are critical for the embryological establishment and postnatal maintenance of this vital population of cells. The implications of these pathways and cells in the pathophysiology of disease are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth M Walczak
- Division of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Gary D Hammer
- Center for Organogenesis, Alfred Taubman Biomedical Sciences Research Building, Room 1528, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
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28
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Chou CW, Zhuo YL, Jiang ZY, Liu YW. The hemodynamically-regulated vascular microenvironment promotes migration of the steroidogenic tissue during its interaction with chromaffin cells in the zebrafish embryo. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107997. [PMID: 25248158 PMCID: PMC4172588 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2014] [Accepted: 08/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background While the endothelium-organ interaction is critical for regulating cellular behaviors during development and disease, the role of blood flow in these processes is only partially understood. The dorsal aorta performs paracrine functions for the timely migration and differentiation of the sympatho-adrenal system. However, it is unclear how the adrenal cortex and medulla achieve and maintain specific integration and whether hemodynamic forces play a role. Methodology and Principal Findings In this study, the possible modulation of steroidogenic and chromaffin cell integration by blood flow was investigated in the teleostean counterpart of the adrenal gland, the interrenal gland, in the zebrafish (Danio rerio). Steroidogenic tissue migration and angiogenesis were suppressed by genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of blood flow, and enhanced by acceleration of blood flow upon norepinephrine treatment. Repressed steroidogenic tissue migration and angiogenesis due to flow deficiency were recoverable following restoration of flow. The regulation of interrenal morphogenesis by blood flow was found to be mediated through the vascular microenvironment and the Fibronectin-phosphorylated Focal Adhesion Kinase (Fn-pFak) signaling. Moreover, the knockdown of krüppel-like factor 2a (klf2a) or matrix metalloproteinase 2 (mmp2), two genes regulated by the hemodynamic force, phenocopied the defects in migration, angiogenesis, the vascular microenvironment, and pFak signaling of the steroidogenic tissue observed in flow-deficient embryos, indicating a direct requirement of mechanotransduction in these processes. Interestingly, epithelial-type steroidogenic cells assumed a mesenchymal-like character and downregulated β-Catenin at cell-cell junctions during interaction with chromaffin cells, which was reversed by inhibiting blood flow or Fn-pFak signaling. Blood flow obstruction also affected the migration of chromaffin cells, but not through mechanosensitive or Fn-pFak dependent mechanisms. Conclusions and Significance These results demonstrate that hemodynamically regulated Fn-pFak signaling promotes the migration of steroidogenic cells, ensuring their interaction with chromaffin cells along both sides of the midline during interrenal gland development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Wei Chou
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - You-Lin Zhuo
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Zhe-Yu Jiang
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Wen Liu
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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29
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Yazawa T, Imamichi Y, Miyamoto K, Umezawa A, Taniguchi T. Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into gonad and adrenal steroidogenic cells. World J Stem Cells 2014; 6:203-212. [PMID: 24772247 PMCID: PMC3999778 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v6.i2.203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2013] [Revised: 12/24/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hormone replacement therapy is necessary for patients with adrenal and gonadal failure. Steroid hormone treatment is also employed in aging people for sex hormone deficiency. These patients undergo such therapies, which have associated risks, for their entire life. Stem cells represent an innovative tool for tissue regeneration and the possibility of solving these problems. Among various stem cell types, mesenchymal stem cells have the potential to differentiate into steroidogenic cells both in vivo and in vitro. In particular, they can effectively be differentiated into steroidogenic cells by expressing nuclear receptor 5A subfamily proteins (steroidogenic factor-1 and liver receptor homolog-1) with the aid of cAMP. This approach will provide a source of cells for future regenerative medicine for the treatment of diseases caused by steroidogenesis deficiencies. It can also represent a useful tool for studying the molecular mechanisms of steroidogenesis and its related diseases.
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30
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Baba T, Otake H, Sato T, Miyabayashi K, Shishido Y, Wang CY, Shima Y, Kimura H, Yagi M, Ishihara Y, Hino S, Ogawa H, Nakao M, Yamazaki T, Kang D, Ohkawa Y, Suyama M, Chung BC, Morohashi KI. Glycolytic genes are targets of the nuclear receptor Ad4BP/SF-1. Nat Commun 2014; 5:3634. [PMID: 24727981 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic deficiencies in transcription factors can lead to the loss of certain types of cells and tissue. The steroidogenic tissue-specific nuclear receptor Ad4BP/SF-1 (NR5A1) is one such gene, because mice in which this gene is disrupted fail to develop the adrenal gland and gonads. However, the specific role of Ad4BP/SF-1 in these biological events remains unclear. Here we use chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing to show that nearly all genes in the glycolytic pathway are regulated by Ad4BP/SF-1. Suppression of Ad4BP/SF-1 by small interfering RNA reduces production of the energy carriers ATP and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, as well as lowers expression of genes involved in glucose metabolism. Together, these observations may explain tissue dysgenesis as a result of Ad4BP/SF-1 gene disruption in vivo. Considering the function of estrogen-related receptor α, the present study raises the possibility that certain types of nuclear receptors regulate sets of genes involved in metabolic pathways to generate energy carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Baba
- Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Otake
- Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Sato
- Division of Bioinformatics, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Kanako Miyabayashi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yurina Shishido
- Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Chia-Yih Wang
- 1] Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan [2] Present address: Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Yuichi Shima
- Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kimura
- Nuclear Dynamics Group, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 1-3, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Mikako Yagi
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Ishihara
- Laboratory of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama 1-7-1, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan
| | - Shinjiro Hino
- Department of Medical Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Hidesato Ogawa
- 1] Nuclear Dynamics Group, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 1-3, Osaka 565-0871, Japan [2] Advanced ICT Research Institute Kobe, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Iwaoka 588-2, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2492, Japan
| | - Mitsuyoshi Nakao
- Department of Medical Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yamazaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama 1-7-1, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan
| | - Dongchon Kang
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Ohkawa
- Department of Advanced Medical Initiatives, JST-CREST, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Mikita Suyama
- Division of Bioinformatics, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Bon-Chu Chung
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Ken-Ichirou Morohashi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
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31
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Growth patterns of placental and paraovarian adrenocortical heterotopias are different. Case Rep Pathol 2013; 2013:205692. [PMID: 24383032 PMCID: PMC3870631 DOI: 10.1155/2013/205692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Two cases of adrenocortical heterotopia are reported. One is in a full-term placenta. The other is adjacent to the ovarian hilum of an adult. Both are incidental findings. Despite sharing similar histological and immunological features, they show different growth patterns. The literature is reviewed and adrenocortical heterotopias of different locations are compared. New hypotheses of its histogenesis are discussed.
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32
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Doghman M, Figueiredo BC, Volante M, Papotti M, Lalli E. Integrative analysis of SF-1 transcription factor dosage impact on genome-wide binding and gene expression regulation. Nucleic Acids Res 2013; 41:8896-907. [PMID: 23907384 PMCID: PMC3799431 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Steroidogenic Factor-1 (SF-1) is a nuclear receptor that has a pivotal role in the development of adrenal glands and gonads and in the control of steroid hormone production, being also implicated in the pathogenesis of adrenocortical tumors. We have analyzed the mechanisms how SF-1 controls gene expression in adrenocortical cells and showed that it regulates different categories of genes according to its dosage. Significant correlations exist between the localization of SF-1-binding sites in chromatin under different dosage conditions and dosage-dependent regulation of gene expression. Our study revealed unexpected functional interactions between SF-1 and Neuron-Restrictive Silencer Factor/RE1-Silencing Transcription Factor (NRSF/REST), which was first characterized as a repressor of neuronal gene expression in non-neuronal tissues, in the regulation of gene expression in steroidogenic cells. When overexpressed, SF-1 reshapes the repertoire of NRSF/REST—regulated genes, relieving repression of key steroidogenic genes. These data show that NRSF/REST has a novel function in regulating gene expression in steroidogenic cells and suggest that it may have a broad role in regulating tissue-specific gene expression programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mabrouka Doghman
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire CNRS, Valbonne 06560, France, Associated International Laboratory (LIA) NEOGENEX CNRS, Valbonne 06560, France, University of Nice-Sophia-Antipolis, Valbonne 06560, France, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná 80060-000, Brazil, Instituto de Pesquisa Pelé Pequeno Principe, Curitiba, Paraná 80250-060, Brazil and Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Orbassano 10043, Italy
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33
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Hoivik EA, Bjanesoy TE, Bakke M. Epigenetic regulation of the gene encoding steroidogenic factor-1. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2013; 371:133-9. [PMID: 23313548 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2012.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Revised: 12/27/2012] [Accepted: 12/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The nuclear receptor steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) is expressed in a precise time and cell-specific pattern in the endocrine system. Three intronic enhancers and one upstream enhancer, which are required for controlling the restricted expression of SF-1, have been identified in the mouse gene encoding SF-1. In recent years, efforts from several laboratories have established that expression of SF-1 is controlled by DNA methylation. CpG-sites are found in the basal promoter as well as in the intronic enhancers, and the methylation status of these genomic regions nearly perfectly correlates with their transcriptional activity such that they are hypomethylated in tissues where they are active, and generally hypermethylated in tissues where they are not active. This review summarizes the present knowledge of how tissue differentially methylated regions control the transcriptional activity of the SF-1 gene, and how irregularities in the methylation pattern can contribute to disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erling A Hoivik
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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34
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Pihlajoki M, Gretzinger E, Cochran R, Kyrönlahti A, Schrade A, Hiller T, Sullivan L, Shoykhet M, Schoeller EL, Brooks MD, Heikinheimo M, Wilson DB. Conditional mutagenesis of Gata6 in SF1-positive cells causes gonadal-like differentiation in the adrenal cortex of mice. Endocrinology 2013; 154:1754-67. [PMID: 23471215 PMCID: PMC3628026 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Transcription factor GATA6 is expressed in the fetal and adult adrenal cortex and has been implicated in steroidogenesis. To characterize the role of transcription factor GATA6 in adrenocortical development and function, we generated mice in which Gata6 was conditionally deleted using Cre-LoxP recombination with Sf1-cre. The adrenal glands of adult Gata6 conditional knockout (cKO) mice were small and had a thin cortex. Cytomegalic changes were evident in fetal and adult cKO adrenal glands, and chromaffin cells were ectopically located at the periphery of the glands. Corticosterone secretion in response to exogenous ACTH was blunted in cKO mice. Spindle-shaped cells expressing Gata4, a marker of gonadal stroma, accumulated in the adrenal subcapsule of Gata6 cKO mice. RNA analysis demonstrated the concomitant upregulation of other gonadal-like markers, including Amhr2, in the cKO adrenal glands, suggesting that GATA6 inhibits the spontaneous differentiation of adrenocortical stem/progenitor cells into gonadal-like cells. Lhcgr and Cyp17 were overexpressed in the adrenal glands of gonadectomized cKO vs control mice, implying that GATA6 also limits sex steroidogenic cell differentiation in response to the hormonal changes that accompany gonadectomy. Nulliparous female and orchiectomized male Gata6 cKO mice lacked an adrenal X-zone. Microarray hybridization identified Pik3c2g as a novel X-zone marker that is downregulated in the adrenal glands of these mice. Our findings offer genetic proof that GATA6 regulates the differentiation of steroidogenic progenitors into adrenocortical cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjut Pihlajoki
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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35
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Chou CW, Chiu CH, Liu YW. Fibronectin mediates correct positioning of the interrenal organ in zebrafish. Dev Dyn 2013; 242:432-43. [PMID: 23362214 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.23932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Wei Chou
- Department of Life Science; Tunghai University; Taichung; Taiwan; R.O.C
| | - Chih-Hao Chiu
- Department of Life Science; Tunghai University; Taichung; Taiwan; R.O.C
| | - Yi-Wen Liu
- Department of Life Science; Tunghai University; Taichung; Taiwan; R.O.C
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36
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Yates R, Katugampola H, Cavlan D, Cogger K, Meimaridou E, Hughes C, Metherell L, Guasti L, King P. Adrenocortical Development, Maintenance, and Disease. Curr Top Dev Biol 2013; 106:239-312. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-416021-7.00007-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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37
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Krachulec J, Vetter M, Schrade A, Löbs AK, Bielinska M, Cochran R, Kyrönlahti A, Pihlajoki M, Parviainen H, Jay PY, Heikinheimo M, Wilson DB. GATA4 is a critical regulator of gonadectomy-induced adrenocortical tumorigenesis in mice. Endocrinology 2012; 153:2599-611. [PMID: 22461617 PMCID: PMC3359595 DOI: 10.1210/en.2011-2135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In response to gonadectomy certain inbred mouse strains develop sex steroidogenic adrenocortical neoplasms. One of the hallmarks of neoplastic transformation is expression of GATA4, a transcription factor normally present in gonadal but not adrenal steroidogenic cells of the adult mouse. To show that GATA4 directly modulates adrenocortical tumorigenesis and is not merely a marker of gonadal-like differentiation in the neoplasms, we studied mice with germline or conditional loss-of-function mutations in the Gata4 gene. Germline Gata4 haploinsufficiency was associated with attenuated tumor growth and reduced expression of sex steroidogenic genes in the adrenal glands of ovariectomized B6D2F1 and B6AF1 mice. At 12 months after ovariectomy, wild-type B6D2F1 mice had biochemical and histological evidence of adrenocortical estrogen production, whereas Gata4(+/-) B6D2F1 mice did not. Germline Gata4 haploinsufficiency exacerbated the secondary phenotype of postovariectomy obesity in B6D2F1 mice, presumably by limiting ectopic estrogen production in the adrenal glands. Amhr2-cre-mediated deletion of floxed Gata4 (Gata4(F)) in nascent adrenocortical neoplasms of ovariectomized B6.129 mice reduced tumor growth and the expression of gonadal-like markers in a Gata4(F) dose-dependent manner. We conclude that GATA4 is a key modifier of gonadectomy-induced adrenocortical neoplasia, postovariectomy obesity, and sex steroidogenic cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Krachulec
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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38
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Gardiner JR, Shima Y, Morohashi KI, Swain A. SF-1 expression during adrenal development and tumourigenesis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 351:12-8. [PMID: 22024498 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2011.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2011] [Revised: 10/05/2011] [Accepted: 10/07/2011] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
SF-1 is a master regulator of steroidogenesis whose expression is critical for normal adrenal and gonadal organogenesis. Strict maintenance of SF-1 levels is essential, and mutations causing under- or overexpression result in congenital adrenal and gonadal defects or hyperplasia, respectively. Data from transgenic mouse models points to a network of transcription factors responsible for stringent regulation of Sf-1 expression during development, which bind to intronic enhancer elements in addition to the basal promoter to specifically modulate transcription in each Sf-1-expressing tissue. Furthermore, analysis of the role of SF-1 in adrenal tumourigenesis implies that improper developmental regulation of Sf-1 expression may have postnatal consequences separate from the well-documented developmental defects.
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39
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Laufer E, Kesper D, Vortkamp A, King P. Sonic hedgehog signaling during adrenal development. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 351:19-27. [PMID: 22020162 PMCID: PMC3288303 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2011.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2011] [Accepted: 10/03/2011] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
It has been speculated for a number of years that Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling plays an important role in adrenal development. Over the past two years several reports have described the expression and function of Shh pathway genes in the adrenal cortex, using primarily mouse models. The key findings are that Shh signals produced by a population of partially differentiated cortical cells located in the outer cortex/zona glomerulosa are received by non-cortical mesenchymal cells located predominantly in the overlying capsule. This signal is required for growth of both the capsule and the cortex, but not for cortical zonation or steroidogenic cell differentiation. Using molecular genetic tools to define the adrenocortical cell lineages that are descended from both Shh signaling and receiving cells, both capsule and cortical cells were found to have properties of adrenocortical stem and/or progenitor cells. Here we place these observations within the context of prior studies on adrenal development, postnatal adrenal maintenance and adrenocortical stem/progenitor cell lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ed Laufer
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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40
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de Joussineau C, Sahut-Barnola I, Levy I, Saloustros E, Val P, Stratakis CA, Martinez A. The cAMP pathway and the control of adrenocortical development and growth. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 351:28-36. [PMID: 22019902 PMCID: PMC3678347 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2011.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2011] [Revised: 10/04/2011] [Accepted: 10/07/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In the last 10 years, extensive studies showed that the cAMP pathway is deregulated in patients suffering from adrenocortical tumours, and particularly in primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD). Here we describe how evidence arising from the analysis of patients' data, mouse models and in vitro experiments, have shed light on the cAMP pathway as a central player in adrenal physiopathology. We also show how novel data generated from mouse models may point to new targets for potential therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrille de Joussineau
- CNRS UMR6247, INSERM U931, Génétique Reproduction et Développement (GReD), Clermont Université, Aubière, France
| | - Isabelle Sahut-Barnola
- CNRS UMR6247, INSERM U931, Génétique Reproduction et Développement (GReD), Clermont Université, Aubière, France
| | - Isaac Levy
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Program on Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Emmanouil Saloustros
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Program on Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Pierre Val
- CNRS UMR6247, INSERM U931, Génétique Reproduction et Développement (GReD), Clermont Université, Aubière, France
| | - Constantine A. Stratakis
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Program on Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Antoine Martinez
- CNRS UMR6247, INSERM U931, Génétique Reproduction et Développement (GReD), Clermont Université, Aubière, France
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41
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Shima Y, Miyabayashi K, Baba T, Otake H, Katsura Y, Oka S, Zubair M, Morohashi KI. Identification of an enhancer in the Ad4BP/SF-1 gene specific for fetal Leydig cells. Endocrinology 2012; 153:417-25. [PMID: 22128023 DOI: 10.1210/en.2011-1407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Adrenal 4 binding protein/steroidogenic factor 1 (Ad4BP/SF-1) (Nr5a1) is a nuclear receptor essential for reproductive tissue development and endocrine regulation. This factor is expressed in steroidogenic tissues (e.g. adrenal glands and gonads), and expression of this factor is tightly regulated in a tissue and cell type-specific manner. Our previous studies have identified tissue and cell type-specific enhancers in the introns of the Ad4BP/SF-1 gene in fetal adrenal glands, ventromedial hypothalamus, and pituitary gonadotrope. Characterization of the enhancers had provided new insights into tissue and cell development. However, these studies have failed to identify any gonad-specific enhancer. Here, we identified a fetal Leydig cell-specific enhancer in the upstream region of the mouse Ad4BP/SF-1 gene using transgenic mouse assays. Alignment of the upstream regions among vertebrate animal species demonstrated that the enhancer consisted of three conserved regions, whereby the most highly conserved region contained an Ad4BP/SF-1 binding sequence and an E-box. Mutation of each sequence abolished the enhancer activity and led to a loss of reporter gene expression. These results suggested that Ad4BP/SF-1 gene expression in the fetal Leydig cell is regulated by a yet unidentified E-box binding protein(s) and by an autoregulatory loop formed by Ad4BP/SF-1. Although fetal Leydig cells have been thought to play crucial roles for masculinization of various fetal tissues through androgen production, other functions have remained elusive. Our identification of a fetal Leydig cell-specific enhancer in the Ad4BP/SF-1 gene would be a powerful tool to address these gaps in the knowledge base.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Shima
- Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
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42
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Lee FY, Faivre EJ, Suzawa M, Lontok E, Ebert D, Cai F, Belsham DD, Ingraham HA. Eliminating SF-1 (NR5A1) sumoylation in vivo results in ectopic hedgehog signaling and disruption of endocrine development. Dev Cell 2011; 21:315-27. [PMID: 21820362 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2011.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2010] [Revised: 03/23/2011] [Accepted: 06/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sumoylation is generally considered a repressive mark for many transcription factors. However, the in vivo importance of sumoylation for any given substrate remains unclear and is questionable because the extent of sumoylation appears exceedingly low for most substrates. Here, we permanently eliminated SF-1/NR5A1 sumoylation in mice (Sf-1(K119R, K194R, or 2KR)) and found that Sf-1(2KR/2KR) mice failed to phenocopy a simple gain of SF-1 function or show elevated levels of well-established SF-1 target genes. Instead, mutant mice exhibited marked endocrine abnormalities and changes in cell fate that reflected an inappropriate activation of hedgehog signaling and other potential SUMO-sensitive targets. Furthermore, unsumoylatable SF-1 mutants activated Shh and exhibited preferential recruitment to Shh genomic elements in cells. We conclude that the sumoylation cycle greatly expands the functional capacity of transcription factors such as SF-1 and is leveraged during development to achieve cell-type-specific gene expression in multicellular organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Y Lee
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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43
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Hoivik EA, Bjanesoy TE, Mai O, Okamoto S, Minokoshi Y, Shima Y, Morohashi KI, Boehm U, Bakke M. DNA methylation of intronic enhancers directs tissue-specific expression of steroidogenic factor 1/adrenal 4 binding protein (SF-1/Ad4BP). Endocrinology 2011; 152:2100-12. [PMID: 21343250 DOI: 10.1210/en.2010-1305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The nuclear receptor steroidogenic factor 1/adrenal 4 binding protein (SF-1/Ad4BP) is an essential regulator of endocrine development and function, and the expression of the corresponding gene (sf-1/ad4bp) is precisely regulated in a time- and tissue-dependent manner. We previously demonstrated that the basal promoter of sf-1/ad4bp is controlled by DNA methylation and that its methylation status reflects the expression pattern of SF-1/Ad4BP. Recently, three intronic enhancers were identified in the sf-1/ad4bp gene that target SF-1/Ad4BP expression to the fetal adrenal (FAdE; fetal adrenal-specific enhancer), to pituitary gonadotropes (PGE; pituitary gonadotrope-specific enhancer), and to the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMHE; ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus-specific enhancer). Here, we demonstrate that the activity of these enhancers is correlated with their DNA methylation status. We show that they are hypomethylated in tissues where they are active and generally hypermethylated in tissues where they are not active. Furthermore, we demonstrate in transient transfection experiments that forced DNA methylation represses reporter gene activity driven by these enhancers. These data directly demonstrate a functional significance for the enhancers' methylation status. Intriguingly, further analyses of the basal promoter in gonadotropes revealed that it is methylated in these cells, in contrast to other SF-1/Ad4BP-expressing tissues. Consistent with this, sf-1/ad4bp is transcribed from an alternative promoter in gonadotropes. Taken together, our experiments show that the tissue-specific expression of SF-1/Ad4BP is epigenetically regulated and identify tissue-specific differentially methylated regions within the sf-1/ad4bp locus that are essential for its transcriptional control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erling A Hoivik
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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44
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Wood MA, Hammer GD. Adrenocortical stem and progenitor cells: unifying model of two proposed origins. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2011; 336:206-12. [PMID: 21094677 PMCID: PMC3397472 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2010.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2010] [Revised: 11/11/2010] [Accepted: 11/12/2010] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The origins of our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which signaling pathways and downstream transcription factors coordinate the specification of adrenocortical cells within the adrenal gland have arisen from studies on the role of Sf1 in steroidogenesis and adrenal development initiated 20 years ago in the laboratory of Dr. Keith Parker. Adrenocortical stem/progenitor cells have been predicted to be undifferentiated and quiescent cells that remain at the periphery of the cortex until needed to replenish the organ, at which time they undergo proliferation and terminal differentiation. Identification of these stem/progenitor cells has only recently been explored. Recent efforts have examined signaling molecules, including Wnt, Shh, and Dax1, which may coordinate intricate lineage and signaling relationships between the adrenal capsule (stem cell niche) and underlying cortex (progenitor cell pool) to maintain organ homeostasis in the adrenal gland.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gary D. Hammer
- Corresponding author: University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, 1528 BSRB, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Telephone: (734) 615-2421 Fax: (734) 647-9559,
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45
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Morohashi KI, Zubair M. The fetal and adult adrenal cortex. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2011; 336:193-7. [PMID: 21130838 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2010.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2010] [Revised: 11/23/2010] [Accepted: 11/23/2010] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The orphan nuclear receptor AD4BP/SF-1 (adrenal-4-binding protein/steroidogenic factor-1 (NR5A1)) is essential for the proper development and function of reproductive and steroidogenic tissues. Although the expression of Ad4BP/Sf-1 is specific for those tissues, the mechanisms underlying this tissue-specific expression remain unknown. Our transgenic studies have identified the tissue-specific enhancers for the fetal adrenal cortex, ventromedial hypothalamus, and pituitary in Ad4BP/Sf-1 gene. The adrenal cortex forms morphologically distinct compartments, the inner (fetal) and outer (definitive or adult) zones. Despite considerable effort, the mechanisms that mediate the differential development of the fetal and adult adrenal cortex remain incompletely understood. It remained controversial whether a true fetal type adrenal cortex is present in mice, and this argument was complicated by the postnatal development of the so-called X-zone. Using transgenic mice with lacZ driven by the fetal adrenal enhancer (FAdE), we clearly identified a fetal adrenal cortex in mice, and the X-zone is the fetal adrenal cells accumulated at the juxtamedullary region after birth. We combined the FAdE with the Cre/loxP system to trace cell lineages in which the FAdE was active at some stage in development. These lineage tracing studies establish definitively that the adult cortex derives from precursor cells in the fetal cortex in which the FAdE was activated before the organization into two distinct zones. The potential of these fetal adrenocortical cells to enter the pathway that eventuate in cells of the adult cortex disappeared by E14.5. Thus, these studies demonstrate a direct link between the fetal and adult cortex involving a transition that must occur before a specific stage of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken-ichirou Morohashi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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46
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Schimmer BP, White PC. Minireview: steroidogenic factor 1: its roles in differentiation, development, and disease. Mol Endocrinol 2010; 24:1322-37. [PMID: 20203099 DOI: 10.1210/me.2009-0519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The orphan nuclear receptor steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1, also called Ad4BP, encoded by the NR5A1 gene) is an essential regulator of endocrine development and function. Initially identified as a tissue-specific transcriptional regulator of cytochrome P450 steroid hydroxylases, studies of both global and tissue-specific knockout mice have demonstrated that SF-1 is required for the development of the adrenal glands, gonads, and ventromedial hypothalamus and for the proper functioning of pituitary gonadotropes. Many genes are transcriptionally regulated by SF-1, and many proteins, in turn, interact with SF-1 and modulate its activity. Whereas mice with heterozygous mutations that disrupt SF-1 function have only subtle abnormalities, humans with heterozygous SF-1 mutations can present with XY sex reversal (i.e. testicular failure), ovarian failure, and occasionally adrenal insufficiency; dysregulation of SF-1 has been linked to diseases such as endometriosis and adrenocortical carcinoma. The current state of knowledge of this important transcription factor will be reviewed with a particular emphasis on the pioneering work on SF-1 by the late Keith Parker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard P Schimmer
- Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G1L6, Canada
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