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Li Y, Tang L, Zhao M, Tang R, Fang K, Ge W, Du W. Study on the active components and mechanism of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma for invigorating the spleen and tonifying qi based on spectrum-effect relationship and network pharmacology. Biomed Chromatogr 2024; 38:e5870. [PMID: 38664069 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.5870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Spleen deficiency can lead to various abnormal physiological functions of the spleen. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (AMR) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to invigorate the spleen and tonify qi. The study aimed to identify the primary active components influencing the efficacy of AMR in strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi through spectrum-effect relationship and chemometrics. Network pharmacology was used to investigate the mechanism by which AMR strengthens the spleen and replenishes qi, with molecular docking utilized for validation purposes. The findings indicated that bran-fried AMR exhibited superior efficacy, with atractylenolides and atractylone identified as the primary active constituents. Atractylenolide II emerged as the most influential component impacting the effectiveness of AMR, while the key target was androgen receptor. Furthermore, crucial pathways implicated included the mitogen-activated protein cascade (MAPK) cascade, RNA polymerase II transcription factor activity, ligand-activated sequence-specific DNA binding, and RNA polymerase II sequence-specific DNA-binding transcription factor binding. In summary, our study has identified the primary active components associated with the efficacy of AMR and has provided an initial exploration of its mechanism of action. This offers a theoretical foundation for future investigations into the material basis and molecular mechanisms underlying the pharmacodynamics of AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafei Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Research Center of TCM Processing Technology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lulu Tang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Research Center of TCM Processing Technology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingfang Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Research Center of TCM Processing Technology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rui Tang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Research Center of TCM Processing Technology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Keer Fang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Research Center of TCM Processing Technology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weihong Ge
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Research Center of TCM Processing Technology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University Chinese Medicine Yinpian Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
| | - Weifeng Du
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Research Center of TCM Processing Technology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University Chinese Medicine Yinpian Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
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Grissom NM, Glewwe N, Chen C, Giglio E. Sex mechanisms as nonbinary influences on cognitive diversity. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105544. [PMID: 38643533 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105544] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Essentially all neuropsychiatric diagnoses show some degree of sex and/or gender differences in their etiology, diagnosis, or prognosis. As a result, the roles of sex-related variables in behavior and cognition are of strong interest to many, with several lines of research showing effects on executive functions and value-based decision making in particular. These findings are often framed within a sex binary, with behavior of females described as less optimal than male "defaults"-- a framing that pits males and females against each other and deemphasizes the enormous overlap in fundamental neural mechanisms across sexes. Here, we propose an alternative framework in which sex-related factors encompass just one subset of many sources of valuable diversity in cognition. First, we review literature establishing multidimensional, nonbinary impacts of factors related to sex chromosomes and endocrine mechanisms on cognition, focusing on value- based decision-making tasks. Next, we present two suggestions for nonbinary interpretations and analyses of sex-related data that can be implemented by behavioral neuroscientists without devoting laboratory resources to delving into mechanisms underlying sex differences. We recommend (1) shifting interpretations of behavior away from performance metrics and towards strategy assessments to avoid the fallacy that the performance of one sex is worse than another; and (2) asking how much variance sex explains in measures and whether any differences are mosaic rather than binary, to avoid assuming that sex differences in separate measures are inextricably correlated. Nonbinary frameworks in research on cognition will allow neuroscience to represent the full spectrum of brains and behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola M Grissom
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, United States of America.
| | - Nic Glewwe
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Cathy Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Erin Giglio
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, United States of America
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3
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Dart DA, Bevan CL, Uysal-Onganer P, Jiang WG. Analysis of androgen receptor expression and activity in the mouse brain. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11115. [PMID: 38750183 PMCID: PMC11096401 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61733-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the core treatment for advanced prostate cancer (PCa), with a proven survival benefit. ADT lowers circulating testosterone levels throughout the body, but with it comes a variety of reported side effects including fatigue, muscle wastage, weight gain, hot flushes and importantly cognitive impairment, depression, and mood swings. Testosterone has a key role in brain masculinization, but its direct effects are relatively poorly understood, due both to the brain's extreme complexity and the fact that some of testosterone activities are driven via local conversion to oestrogen, especially during embryonic development. The exact roles, function, and location of the androgen receptor (AR) in the adult male brain are still being discovered, and therefore the cognitive side effects of ADT may be unrecognized or under-reported. The age of onset of several neurological diseases overlap with PCa, therefore, there is a need to separate ADT side effects from such co-morbidities. Here we analysed the activity and expression level of the AR in the adult mouse brain, using an ARE-Luc reporter mouse and immunohistochemical staining for AR in all the key brain regions via coronal slices. We further analysed our data by comparing to the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas. AR-driven luciferase activity and distinct nuclear staining for AR were seen in several key brain areas including the thalamus, hypothalamus, olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, Purkinje cells of the cerebellum and the hindbrain. We describe and discuss the potential role of AR in these areas, to inform and enable extrapolation to potential side effects of ADT in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Alwyn Dart
- UCL (University College London) Cancer Institute, University College London, Paul O'Gorman Building, 72 Huntley Street, London, WC1E 6DD, UK.
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK.
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF14 4YS, UK.
| | - Charlotte L Bevan
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Pinar Uysal-Onganer
- Cancer Mechanisms and Biomarkers Research Group, School of Life Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK
| | - Wen Guo Jiang
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF14 4YS, UK
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Tian Y, Qiao H, Zhu LQ, Man HY. Sexually dimorphic phenotypes and the role of androgen receptors in UBE3A-dependent autism spectrum disorder. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.02.592248. [PMID: 38746146 PMCID: PMC11092617 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.02.592248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterized by social, communication, and behavioral challenges. UBE3A is one of the most common ASD genes. ASDs display a remarkable sex difference with a 4:1 male to female prevalence ratio; however, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Using the UBE3A-overexpressing mouse model for ASD, we studied sex differences at behavioral, genetic, and molecular levels. We found that male mice with extra copies of Ube3A exhibited greater impairments in social interaction, repetitive self-grooming behavior, memory, and pain sensitivity, whereas female mice with UBE3A overexpression displayed greater olfactory defects. Social communication was impaired in both sexes, with males making more calls and females preferring complex syllables. At the molecular level, androgen receptor (AR) levels were reduced in both sexes due to enhanced degradation mediated by UBE3A. However, AR reduction significantly dysregulated AR target genes only in male, not female, UBE3A-overexpressing mice. Importantly, restoring AR levels in the brain effectively normalized the expression of AR target genes, and rescued the deficits in social preference, grooming behavior, and memory in male UBE3A-overexpressing mice, without affecting females. These findings suggest that AR and its signaling cascade play an essential role in mediating the sexually dimorphic changes in UBE3A-dependent ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Tian
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hui Qiao
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ling-Qiang Zhu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Heng-Ye Man
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord St., Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, 610 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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Silva S, Bicker J, Fialho S, Cunha S, Falcão A, Fortuna A. Intranasal delivery of paroxetine: A preclinical study on pharmacokinetics, depressive-like behaviour, and neurochemical sex differences. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 223:116184. [PMID: 38556027 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Treatment of major depressive disorder remains a major unmet clinical need. Given the advantages of intranasal administration for targeted brain delivery, the present study aimed at investigating the pharmacokinetics of paroxetine, after its intranasal instillation and assessing its potential therapeutic effect on female and male mice subjected to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) protocol. IN administration revealed direct nose-to-brain paroxetine delivery but dose- and sex-dependent differences. Pharmacokinetics was nonlinear and paroxetine concentrations were consistently higher in plasma and brain of male mice. Additionally, UCMS decreased animal preference for sucrose in both male and female mice following acute (p < 0.01) and chronic stress (p < 0.05), suggesting anhedonia. Both male and female mice exhibited depressive-like behavior in the forced swimming test. UCMS females displayed a significantly longer immobility time and shorter climbing time than the control group (p < 0.05), while no differences were found between male mice. Two weeks of paroxetine intranasal administration reduced immobility time and lengthened climbing and swimming time, approaching values similar to those observed in the healthy control group. The therapeutic effect was stronger on female mice. Importantly, melatonin plasma levels were significantly decreased in female mice following UCMS (p < 0.05), while males exhibited heightened corticosterone levels. On the other hand, treatment with IN paroxetine significantly increased corticosterone and melatonin levels in both sexes compared to healthy mice (p < 0.05). Intranasal paroxetine delivery undoubtedly ameliorated the behavioral despair, characteristic of depressive-like animals. Despite its efficiency in male and female mice subjected to UCMS, females were more prone to this novel therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soraia Silva
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; CIBIT - Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Joana Bicker
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; CIBIT - Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - S Fialho
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Susana Cunha
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Amílcar Falcão
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; CIBIT - Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Fortuna
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; CIBIT - Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
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6
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Barsky ST, Monks DA. Lifespan Effects of Muscle-Specific Androgen Receptor Overexpression on Body Composition of Male and Female Rats. Endocrinology 2024; 165:bqae012. [PMID: 38301268 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqae012] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Androgenic actions of gonadal testosterone are thought to be a major mechanism promoting sex differences in body composition across the lifespan. However, this inference is based on studies of androgen receptor (AR) function in late adolescent or emerging adult rodents. Here we assess body composition and AR expression in skeletal muscle of rats at defined ages, comparing wild-type (WT) to transgenic human skeletal actin-driven AR overexpression (HSAAR) rats which overexpress AR in skeletal muscle. Male and female HSAAR and WT Sprague Dawley rats (N = 288) underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning and tissue collection at postnatal day (PND) 1, 10, 21, 42, 70, 183, 243, and 365. Expected sex differences in body composition and muscle mass largely onset with puberty (PND-21), with no associated changes to skeletal muscle AR protein. In adulthood, HSAAR increased tibialis anterior (TA) and extensor digitorum longus mass in males, and reduced the expected gain in gonadal fat mass in both sexes. In WT rats, AR protein was reduced in soleus, but not TA, throughout life. Nonetheless, soleus AR protein expression was greater in male rats than female rats at all ages of sexual development, yet only at PND-70 in TA. Overall, despite muscle AR overexpression effects, results are inconsistent with major sex differences in body composition during sexual development being driven by changes in muscle AR, rather suggesting that changes in ligand promote sexual differentiation of body composition during pubertal timing. Nonetheless, increased skeletal muscle AR in adulthood can be sufficient to increase muscle mass in males, and reduce adipose in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Tzivia Barsky
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, Faculty of Arts & Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Douglas Ashley Monks
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, Faculty of Arts & Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G5, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts & Science, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
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Roberts MD, McCarthy JJ, Hornberger TA, Phillips SM, Mackey AL, Nader GA, Boppart MD, Kavazis AN, Reidy PT, Ogasawara R, Libardi CA, Ugrinowitsch C, Booth FW, Esser KA. Mechanisms of mechanical overload-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy: current understanding and future directions. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:2679-2757. [PMID: 37382939 PMCID: PMC10625844 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00039.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying mechanical overload-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy have been extensively researched since the landmark report by Morpurgo (1897) of "work-induced hypertrophy" in dogs that were treadmill trained. Much of the preclinical rodent and human resistance training research to date supports that involved mechanisms include enhanced mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling, an expansion in translational capacity through ribosome biogenesis, increased satellite cell abundance and myonuclear accretion, and postexercise elevations in muscle protein synthesis rates. However, several lines of past and emerging evidence suggest that additional mechanisms that feed into or are independent of these processes are also involved. This review first provides a historical account of how mechanistic research into skeletal muscle hypertrophy has progressed. A comprehensive list of mechanisms associated with skeletal muscle hypertrophy is then outlined, and areas of disagreement involving these mechanisms are presented. Finally, future research directions involving many of the discussed mechanisms are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Roberts
- School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States
| | - John J McCarthy
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States
| | - Troy A Hornberger
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Stuart M Phillips
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Abigail L Mackey
- Institute of Sports Medicine Copenhagen, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital-Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gustavo A Nader
- Department of Kinesiology and Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Marni D Boppart
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Andreas N Kavazis
- School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States
| | - Paul T Reidy
- Department of Kinesiology, Nutrition and Health, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States
| | - Riki Ogasawara
- Healthy Food Science Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Cleiton A Libardi
- MUSCULAB-Laboratory of Neuromuscular Adaptations to Resistance Training, Department of Physical Education, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Carlos Ugrinowitsch
- School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Frank W Booth
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States
| | - Karyn A Esser
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
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Dothard MI, Allard SM, Gilbert JA. The effects of hormone replacement therapy on the microbiomes of postmenopausal women. Climacteric 2023; 26:182-192. [PMID: 37051868 DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2023.2173568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The sex steroid hormone estrogen plays a number of regulatory roles in female development. During menopause, estrogen synthesis in the ovaries decreases, which results in adverse physiological remodeling and increased risk of disease. Reduced bone density, changes in the community composition profiles of the gut and vaginal microbiome, mood swings and changes in the vaginal environment are to be expected during this time. To alleviate these changes, postmenopausal women can be prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) through the use of exogenous estradiol, often in conjunction with progestin treatment, which re-induces estrogenic action throughout the body. The microbiome and estrogen have a bidirectional, regulatory relationship in the gut, while in the vaginal environment estrogen works indirectly on the microbiome through restoring the vaginal tissue environment that leads to microbial homeostasis. This review discusses what is known about how the gut and vaginal microbiomes of postmenopausal women are responding to HRT, and the potential future of microbe-based therapeutics for symptoms of menopause.
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Affiliation(s)
- M I Dothard
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - S M Allard
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - J A Gilbert
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Ma Y, Zhao G, Wang C, An M, Ma C, Liu Z, Wang J, Yang K. Effects of supplementation with different concentrations of L-citrulline on the plasma amino acid concentration, reproductive hormone concentrations, antioxidant capacity, and reproductive performance of Hu ewes. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2023; 63:853-861. [DOI: doi.org/10.1071/an22290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Context L-citrulline (L-Cit) does not degrade in the rumen and has the ability to form peptide bonds in the body; however, it does not participate in protein synthesis. Aims This study aimed to evaluate the effects of L-Cit on the reproductive performance of Hu ewes. Methods In total, 30 ewes were randomly categorised into five groups. The control group was fed with a basic diet, whereas the Experimental Groups I, II, III, and IV were provided feed supplemented with 5, 10, 15, and 20 g/day of L-Cit respectively. Blood samples of ewes were collected 4 h after feeding on Day 21 of the experiment and before feeding on Day 30. The optimal supplementary feeding dose was selected on the basis of blood biochemical indexes. Overall, ninety 2-year-old ewes were classified into two groups. The control group was fed with a basic diet and the experimental group was fed with a diet supplemented with 10 g/day of L-Cit. After 30 days of supplementary feeding, reproductive performance of ewes was determined. Key results The plasma concentrations of Cit, ornithine, and arginine in ewes increased linearly with an increase in the level of L-Cit supplementation. The plasma concentrations of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, luteinising hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone in the experimental group increased significantly compared with those in the control group. The plasma total antioxidant capacity and catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group, whereas the concentrations of malondialdehyde in all experimental groups were significantly lower than those in the control group. The conception, lambing, and double lambing rates of the experimental group were increased by 28.76%, 15.90%, and 40.21% respectively. Conclusions Supplementation with different doses of L-Cit can improve the concentrations of some plasma amino acids and reproductive hormones as well as antioxidant capacity of ewes. Supplementary feeding with 10 g/day of L-Cit could increase the lambing and double lambing rates of ewes. Implication L-Cit can improve the reproductive performance of ewes.
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Liver Microenvironment Response to Prostate Cancer Metastasis and Hormonal Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14246189. [PMID: 36551674 PMCID: PMC9777323 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14246189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer-associated deaths arise from disease progression and metastasis. Metastasis to the liver is associated with the worst clinical outcomes for prostate cancer patients, and these metastatic tumors can be particularly resistant to the currently widely used chemotherapy and hormonal therapies, such as anti-androgens which block androgen synthesis or directly target the androgen receptor. The incidence of liver metastases is reportedly increasing, with a potential correlation with use of anti-androgen therapies. A key player in prostate cancer progression and therapeutic response is the microenvironment of the tumor(s). This is a dynamic and adaptive collection of cells and proteins, which impart signals and stimuli that can alter biological processes within prostate cancer cells. Investigation in the prostate primary site has demonstrated that cells of the microenvironment are also responsive to hormones and hormonal therapies. In this review, we collate information about what happens when cancer moves to the liver: the types of prostate cancer cells that metastasize there, the response of resident mesenchymal cells of the liver, and how the interactions between the cancer cells and the microenvironment may be altered by hormonal therapy.
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11
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Giotis ES, Cil E, Brooke GN. Use of Antiandrogens as Therapeutic Agents in COVID-19 Patients. Viruses 2022; 14:2728. [PMID: 36560732 PMCID: PMC9788624 DOI: 10.3390/v14122728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2), is estimated to have caused over 6.5 million deaths worldwide. The emergence of fast-evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern alongside increased transmissibility and/or virulence, as well as immune and vaccine escape capabilities, highlight the urgent need for more effective antivirals to combat the disease in the long run along with regularly updated vaccine boosters. One of the early risk factors identified during the COVID-19 pandemic was that men are more likely to become infected by the virus, more likely to develop severe disease and exhibit a higher likelihood of hospitalisation and mortality rates compared to women. An association exists between SARS-CoV-2 infectiveness and disease severity with sex steroid hormones and, in particular, androgens. Several studies underlined the importance of the androgen-mediated regulation of the host protease TMPRSS2 and the cell entry protein ACE2, as well as the key role of these factors in the entry of the virus into target cells. In this context, modulating androgen signalling is a promising strategy to block viral infection, and antiandrogens could be used as a preventative measure at the pre- or early hospitalisation stage of COVID-19 disease. Different antiandrogens, including commercial drugs used to treat metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer and other conditions, have been tested as antivirals with varying success. In this review, we summarise the most recent updates concerning the use of antiandrogens as prophylactic and therapeutic options for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efstathios S. Giotis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Emine Cil
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Greg N. Brooke
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
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12
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Xiong T, Rodriguez Paris V, Edwards MC, Hu Y, Cochran BJ, Rye KA, Ledger WL, Padmanabhan V, Handelsman DJ, Gilchrist RB, Walters KA. Androgen signaling in adipose tissue, but less likely skeletal muscle, mediates development of metabolic traits in a PCOS mouse model. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2022; 323:E145-E158. [PMID: 35658542 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00418.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common, multifactorial disorder characterized by endocrine, reproductive, and metabolic dysfunction. As the etiology of PCOS is unknown, there is no cure and symptom-oriented treatments are suboptimal. Hyperandrogenism is a key diagnostic trait, and evidence suggests that androgen receptor (AR)-mediated actions are critical to PCOS pathogenesis. However, the key AR target sites involved remain to be fully defined. Adipocyte and muscle dysfunction are proposed as important sites involved in the manifestation of PCOS traits. We investigated the role of AR signaling in white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), and skeletal muscle in the development of PCOS in a hyperandrogenic PCOS mouse model. As expected, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) exposure induced key reproductive and metabolic PCOS traits in wild-type (WT) females. Transplantation of AR-insensitive (AR-/-) WAT or BAT from AR knockout females (ARKO) into DHT-treated WT mice ameliorated some metabolic PCOS features, including increased body weight, adiposity, and adipocyte hypertrophy, but not reproductive PCOS traits. In contrast, DHT-treated ARKO female mice transplanted with AR-responsive (AR+/+) WAT or BAT continued to resist developing PCOS traits. DHT-treated skeletal muscle-specific AR knockout females (SkMARKO) displayed a comparable phenotype with that of DHT-treated WT females, with full development of PCOS traits. Taken together, these findings infer that both WAT and BAT, but less likely skeletal muscle, are key sites of AR-mediated actions involved in the experimental pathogenesis of metabolic PCOS traits. These data further support targeting adipocyte AR-driven pathways in future research aimed at developing novel therapeutic interventions for PCOS.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Hyperandrogenism is a key feature in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); however, the tissue sites of androgen receptor (AR) signaling are unclear. In this study, AR signaling in white and brown adipose tissue, but less likely in skeletal muscle, was found to be involved in the development of metabolic PCOS traits, highlighting the importance of androgen actions in adipose tissue and obesity in the manifestation of metabolic disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xiong
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Valentina Rodriguez Paris
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Melissa C Edwards
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ying Hu
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Blake J Cochran
- Lipid Research Group, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kerry-Anne Rye
- Lipid Research Group, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - William L Ledger
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - David J Handelsman
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Robert B Gilchrist
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kirsty A Walters
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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13
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Xia S, Ou K, Zhang S, Huang J, Fang L, Wang C, Wang Q. EGCG exposure during pregnancy affects uterine histomorphology in F1 female mice and the underlying mechanisms. Food Chem Toxicol 2022; 167:113306. [PMID: 35863485 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2022.113306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Although epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol in green tea, has been shown to have many benefits, the effect of EGCG exposure in utero on adult uterine development is unclear. In this study, pregnant C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 1 mg/kg body weight (bw) EGCG dissolved in drinking water from gestational days 0.5-16.5. A significant decrease in uterine weight was observed in the adult female mice, accompanied by uterine atrophy, inflammation, and fibrosis in the endometrium. Uterine atrophy was attributed to the thinning of the endometrial stromal layer and a significant reduction in endometrial cell proliferation. The expression levels of related proteins in the NF-κB and RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathways were significantly increased, which might be responsible for the occurrence of inflammation. Activation of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1)/Smad signaling pathway might be involved in the development of endometrial fibrosis. The changes in the expression of estrogen receptor α, β (ERα, ERβ), progesterone receptor (PGR), and androgen receptor (AR) might lead to changes in the aforementioned signaling pathways. The promoter region methylation level of Esr2 was increased, and the expression of DNMT3A was evaluated. Our study indicates a risk of EGCG intake during pregnancy affecting uterine development in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China
| | - Kunlin Ou
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China
| | - Shenli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China
| | - Jie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China
| | - Lu Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China
| | - Chonggang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China
| | - Qin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China.
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14
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Sex Steroid Receptors in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Endometriosis: Insights from Laboratory Studies to Clinical Trials. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10071705. [PMID: 35885010 PMCID: PMC9312843 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis are reproductive disorders that may cause infertility. The pathology of both diseases has been suggested to be associated with sex steroid hormone receptors, including oestrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PRs) and androgen receptors (ARs). Therefore, with this review, we aim to provide an update on the available knowledge of these receptors and how their interactions contribute to the pathogenesis of PCOS and endometriosis. One of the main PCOS-related medical conditions is abnormal folliculogenesis, which is associated with the downregulation of ER and AR expression in the ovaries. In addition, metabolic disorders in PCOS are caused by dysregulation of sex steroid hormone receptor expression. Furthermore, endometriosis is related to the upregulation of ER and the downregulation of PR expression. These receptors may serve as therapeutic targets for the treatment of PCOS-related disorders and endometriosis, considering their pathophysiological roles. Receptor agonists may be applied to increase the expression of a specific receptor and treat endometriosis or metabolic disorders. In contrast, receptor antagonist functions to reduce receptor expression and can be used to treat endometriosis and induce ovulation. Understanding PCOS and the pathological roles of endometriosis sex steroid receptors is crucial for developing potential therapeutic strategies to treat infertility in both conditions. Therefore, research should be continued to fill the knowledge gap regarding the subject.
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15
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Zhao G, Zhao X, Song Y, Haire A, Dilixiati A, Liu Z, Zhao S, Aihemaiti A, Fu X, Wusiman A. Effect of L-citrulline Supplementation on Sperm Characteristics and Hormonal and Antioxidant Levels in Blood and Seminal Plasma of Rams. Reprod Domest Anim 2022; 57:722-733. [PMID: 35262979 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
With the aim of providing a theoretical basis for the application of L-citrulline (L-Cit) in animal husbandry, the effects of L-Cit on reproductive hormone levels, antioxidant capacity, and semen quality of rams were studied by feeding them varying doses of L-Cit. A total of 32 rams were randomly divided into four groups with eight rams each. After all rams were trained to donate sperm normally, the control group was fed a basic diet, whereas the experimental groups I, II, and III were provided with feed supplemented with 4, 8, and 12 g/d of L-Cit, respectively.The experiment was conducted for 70 days, during which blood samples were collected from the jugular vein on days 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60, and semen samples were collected on days 0, 20, 40, and 60. In the same group, 100 µL of semen was used to test for quality, The rest of the semen sample and blood samples were centrifuged at 3500 rpm for 15 min, and the supernatant and serum, respectively, were used to determine the levels reproductive hormones and antioxidant indices. Ram semen samples were also collected on day 70 and used to study sperm plasma membrane, substitution, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Compared with the control group, the groups receiving L-Cit showed an increase in sperm concentration and number of linear motile sperm (P < 0.01); decrease in the number of dead sperm (P < 0.01); increase in sperm viability, particularly in groups II and III (P < 0.01); and increase in sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.01). Moreover, groups I, II, and III showed significantly higher levels of serum gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and nitric oxide (NO) (P < 0.01). Luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels increased in groups I (P < 0.05), II (P < 0.05), and III (P < 0.01), whereas testosterone (T), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels increased in groups I and II (P < 0.01). Serum total antioxidant capacity (T-A) increased (P < 0.05), whereas both hydroxyl radical (·OH) and peroxy radical (O2·-) levels decreased (P < 0.01). Compared with the control, all groups had significantly higher SOD and GSH-Px in their seminal plasma (P < 0.01), and groups I, II (P < 0.05 for both), and III (P < 0.01) had higher levels of GnRH and FSH. LH, CAT, and NO levels increased in group I (P < 0.05), II, and III (P < 0.01 for both); malondialdehyde levels decreased in groups I, II (P < 0.05 for both), and group III (P < 0.01); and O2·- levels decreased in groups I, II, and III (P < 0.01). Under our experimental conditions, GnRH, FSH, LH, T, CAT, SOD, T-A, GSH-PX , and NO levels in the serum and seminal plasma of rams receiving L-Cit increased, whereas Estradiol(E2 ), O2· - and ·OH levels in the seminal plasma decreased; this improved the semen quality of rams supplemented with L-Cit. Moreover, supplementation with 12 g/d gave the best results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guodong Zhao
- Laboratory of Animal genetic breeding & reproduction, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Xi Zhao
- Laboratory of Animal genetic breeding & reproduction, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Yukun Song
- Laboratory of Animal genetic breeding & reproduction, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Aerman Haire
- Laboratory of Animal genetic breeding & reproduction, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Airixiati Dilixiati
- Laboratory of Animal genetic breeding & reproduction, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- Laboratory of Animal genetic breeding & reproduction, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Shangshang Zhao
- Laboratory of Animal genetic breeding & reproduction, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Aikebaier Aihemaiti
- Laboratory of Animal genetic breeding & reproduction, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Xiangwei Fu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Abulizi Wusiman
- Laboratory of Animal genetic breeding & reproduction, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang, Urumqi, 830052, China
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16
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Blanquart E, Mandonnet A, Mars M, Cenac C, Anesi N, Mercier P, Audouard C, Roga S, Serrano de Almeida G, Bevan CL, Girard JP, Pelletier L, Laffont S, Guéry JC. Targeting androgen signaling in ILC2s protects from IL-33-driven lung inflammation, independently of KLRG1. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2022; 149:237-251.e12. [PMID: 33964300 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Allergic asthma is more severe and frequent in women than in men. In male mice, androgens negatively control group 2 innate lymphoid cell (ILC2) development and function by yet unknown mechanisms. OBJECTIVES We sought to investigate the impact of androgen on ILC2 homeostasis and IL-33-mediated inflammation in female lungs. We evaluated the role of androgen receptor (AR) signaling and the contribution of the putative inhibitory receptor killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1). METHODS Subcutaneous pellets mimicking physiological levels of androgen were used to treat female mice together with mice expressing a reporter enzyme under the control of androgen response elements and mixed bone marrow chimeras to assess the cell-intrinsic role of AR activation within ILC2s. We generated KLRG1-deficient mice. RESULTS We established that lung ILC2s express a functionally active AR that can be in vivo targeted with exogenous androgens to negatively control ILC2 homeostasis, proliferation, and function. Androgen signaling upregulated KLRG1 on ILC2s, which inhibited their proliferation on E-cadherin interaction. Despite evidence that KLRG1 impaired the competitive fitness of lung ILC2s during inflammation, KLRG1 deficiency neither alters in vivo ILC2 numbers and functions, nor did it lead to hyperactive ILC2s in either sexes. CONCLUSIONS AR agonists can be used in vivo to inhibit ILC2 homeostatic numbers and ILC2-dependent lung inflammation through cell-intrinsic AR activation. Although androgen signals in ILC2s to upregulate KLRG1, we demonstrate that KLRG1 is dispensable for androgen-mediated inhibition of pulmonary ILC2s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve Blanquart
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Audrey Mandonnet
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Marion Mars
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Claire Cenac
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Nina Anesi
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Pascale Mercier
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Christophe Audouard
- Centre de Biologie du Développement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Stephane Roga
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Charlotte L Bevan
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-Philippe Girard
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Lucette Pelletier
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Sophie Laffont
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | - Jean-Charles Guéry
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France.
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17
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Rastelli D, Robinson A, Lagomarsino VN, Matthews LT, Hassan R, Perez K, Dan W, Yim PD, Mixer M, Prochera A, Shepherd A, Sun L, Hall K, Ballou S, Lembo A, Nee J, Rao M. Diminished androgen levels are linked to irritable bowel syndrome and cause bowel dysfunction in mice. J Clin Invest 2021; 132:150789. [PMID: 34847080 PMCID: PMC8759776 DOI: 10.1172/jci150789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) have prominent sex differences in incidence, symptoms, and treatment response that are not well understood. Androgens are steroid hormones present at much higher levels in males than females and could be involved in these differences. In adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a FGID that affects 5-10% of the population worldwide, we found that free testosterone levels were lower than those in healthy controls and inversely correlated with symptom severity. To determine how this diminished androgen signaling could contribute to bowel dysfunction, we depleted gonadal androgens in adult mice and found that this caused a profound deficit in gastrointestinal transit. Restoring a single androgen hormone was sufficient to rescue this deficit, suggesting that circulating androgens are essential for normal bowel motility in vivo. To determine the site of action, we probed androgen receptor expression in the intestine and discovered, unexpectedly, that a large subset of enteric neurons became androgen-responsive upon puberty. Androgen signaling to these neurons was required for normal colonic motility in adult mice. Taken together, these observations establish a role for gonadal androgens in the neural regulation of bowel function and link altered androgen levels with a common digestive disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella Rastelli
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States of America
| | - Ariel Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States of America
| | | | - Lynley T Matthews
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States of America
| | - Rafla Hassan
- Department of Pediatrics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, United States of America
| | - Kristina Perez
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States of America
| | - William Dan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States of America
| | - Peter D Yim
- Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States of America
| | - Madison Mixer
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States of America
| | - Aleksandra Prochera
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States of America
| | - Amy Shepherd
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States of America
| | - Liang Sun
- The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States of America
| | - Kathryn Hall
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, United States of America
| | - Sarah Ballou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, United States of America
| | - Anthony Lembo
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, United States of America
| | - Judy Nee
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, United States of America
| | - Meenakshi Rao
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States of America
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18
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The antiandrogen enzalutamide downregulates TMPRSS2 and reduces cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2 in human lung cells. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4068. [PMID: 34210968 PMCID: PMC8249423 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24342-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 attacks various organs, most destructively the lung, and cellular entry requires two host cell surface proteins: ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Downregulation of one or both of these is thus a potential therapeutic approach for COVID-19. TMPRSS2 is a known target of the androgen receptor, a ligand-activated transcription factor; androgen receptor activation increases TMPRSS2 levels in various tissues, most notably prostate. We show here that treatment with the antiandrogen enzalutamide—a well-tolerated drug widely used in advanced prostate cancer—reduces TMPRSS2 levels in human lung cells and in mouse lung. Importantly, antiandrogens significantly reduced SARS-CoV-2 entry and infection in lung cells. In support of this experimental data, analysis of existing datasets shows striking co-expression of AR and TMPRSS2, including in specific lung cell types targeted by SARS-CoV-2. Together, the data presented provides strong evidence to support clinical trials to assess the efficacy of antiandrogens as a treatment option for COVID-19. TMPRSS2 is regulated by androgen receptor signalling in the prostate, however it is unclear if blocking this signalling is beneficial in the context of SARS-CoV-2 lung infection. Here the authors show that antiandrogen treatment downregulates TMPRSS2 in the lung and reduces viral entry and infection.
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19
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Banga S, Heinze-Milne SD, Godin J, Howlett SE. Signs of diastolic dysfunction are graded by serum testosterone levels in aging C57BL/6 male mice. Mech Ageing Dev 2021; 198:111523. [PMID: 34166687 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We investigated whether maladaptive, age-associated changes in heart structure and function were linked to circulating testosterone levels. Male C57BL/6 mice had a gonadectomy (GDX) or sham surgery at 4 weeks and effects of GDX on the heart were examined with echocardiography. Serum testosterone was measured with ELISA. Left ventricular (LV) mass increased with age but was smaller in GDX mice than sham at 18 months (144.0 ± 8.7 vs 118.2 ± 11.9 mg; p = 0.009). The isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) declined with age but was prolonged in GDX mice at 18 months (10.5 ± 0.8 vs 12.5 ± 0.5 msec, p = 0.008). Ejection fraction did not change with age or GDX, but E/A ratios were lower in GDX mice than controls at 18 months (1.6 ± 0.2 vs 1.3 ± 0.1, p = 0.021). When links between serum testosterone and cardiac parameters were examined longitudinally in 18-24-month-old mice, LV mass declined with decreasing testosterone (β = 37.70, p = 0.016), however IVRT increased as testosterone decreased (β=-2.69, p = 0.036). Since longer IVRT and lower E/A ratios are signs of diastolic dysfunction, low circulating testosterone may promote or exacerbate diastolic dysfunction in older males. These findings suggest that lower testosterone directly modifies heart structure and function to promote maladaptive remodeling and diastolic dysfunction in the aging heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubham Banga
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
| | | | - Judith Godin
- Geriatric Medicine Research, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Nova Scotia Health Authority and Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
| | - Susan E Howlett
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; Department of Medicine (Geriatric Medicine), Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
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20
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Cronin R, Brooke GN, Prischi F. The role of the p90 ribosomal S6 kinase family in prostate cancer progression and therapy resistance. Oncogene 2021; 40:3775-3785. [PMID: 33972681 PMCID: PMC8175238 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01810-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most commonly occurring cancer in men, with over a million new cases every year worldwide. Tumor growth and disease progression is mainly dependent on the Androgen Receptor (AR), a ligand dependent transcription factor. Standard PCa therapeutic treatments include androgen-deprivation therapy and AR signaling inhibitors. Despite being successful in controlling the disease in the majority of men, the high frequency of disease progression to aggressive and therapy resistant stages (termed castrate resistant prostate cancer) has led to the search for new therapeutic targets. The p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK1-4) family is a group of highly conserved Ser/Thr kinases that holds promise as a novel target. RSKs are effector kinases that lay downstream of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway, and aberrant activation or expression of RSKs has been reported in several malignancies, including PCa. Despite their structural similarities, RSK isoforms have been shown to perform nonredundant functions and target a wide range of substrates involved in regulation of transcription and translation. In this article we review the roles of the RSKs in proliferation and motility, cell cycle control and therapy resistance in PCa, highlighting the possible interplay between RSKs and AR in mediating disease progression. In addition, we summarize the current advances in RSK inhibitor development and discuss their potential clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Cronin
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - Greg N Brooke
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
| | - Filippo Prischi
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
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21
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Lynch S, Boyett JE, Smith MR, Giordano-Mooga S. Sex Hormone Regulation of Proteins Modulating Mitochondrial Metabolism, Dynamics and Inter-Organellar Cross Talk in Cardiovascular Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:610516. [PMID: 33644031 PMCID: PMC7905018 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.610516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and worldwide. Sex-related disparities have been identified in the presentation and incidence rate of CVD. Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a role in both the etiology and pathology of CVD. Recent work has suggested that the sex hormones play a role in regulating mitochondrial dynamics, metabolism, and cross talk with other organelles. Specifically, the female sex hormone, estrogen, has both a direct and an indirect role in regulating mitochondrial biogenesis via PGC-1α, dynamics through Opa1, Mfn1, Mfn2, and Drp1, as well as metabolism and redox signaling through the antioxidant response element. Furthermore, data suggests that testosterone is cardioprotective in males and may regulate mitochondrial biogenesis through PGC-1α and dynamics via Mfn1 and Drp1. These cell-signaling hubs are essential in maintaining mitochondrial integrity and cell viability, ultimately impacting CVD survival. PGC-1α also plays a crucial role in inter-organellar cross talk between the mitochondria and other organelles such as the peroxisome. This inter-organellar signaling is an avenue for ameliorating rampant ROS produced by dysregulated mitochondria and for regulating intrinsic apoptosis by modulating intracellular Ca2+ levels through interactions with the endoplasmic reticulum. There is a need for future research on the regulatory role of the sex hormones, particularly testosterone, and their cardioprotective effects. This review hopes to highlight the regulatory role of sex hormones on mitochondrial signaling and their function in the underlying disparities between men and women in CVD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Lynch
- Biomedical Sciences Program, Graduate School, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - James E Boyett
- Biomedical Sciences Program, Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Science, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - M Ryan Smith
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Samantha Giordano-Mooga
- Biomedical Sciences Program, Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Science, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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22
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Transcriptome Sequencing in the Preoptic Region of Rat Dams Reveals a Role of Androgen Receptor in the Control of Maternal Behavior. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041517. [PMID: 33546359 PMCID: PMC7913516 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Preoptic region of hypothalamus is responsible to control maternal behavior, which was hypothesized to be associated with gene expressional changes. (2) Methods: Transcriptome sequencing was first applied in the preoptic region of rat dams in comparison to a control group of mothers whose pups were taken away immediately after parturition and did not exhibit caring behavior 10 days later. (3) Results: Differentially expressed genes were found and validated by quantitative RT-PCR, among them NACHT and WD repeat domain containing 1 (Nwd1) is known to control androgen receptor (AR) protein levels. The distribution of Nwd1 mRNA and AR was similar in the preoptic area. Therefore, we focused on this steroid hormone receptor and found its reduced protein level in rat dams. To establish the function of AR in maternal behavior, its antagonist was administered intracerebroventricularly into mother rats and increased pup-directed behavior of the animals. (4) Conclusions: AR levels are suppressed in the preoptic area of mothers possibly mediated by altered Nwd1 expression in order to allow sustained high-level care for the pups. Thus, our study first implicated the AR in the control of maternal behaviors.
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23
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Maitland NJ. Resistance to Antiandrogens in Prostate Cancer: Is It Inevitable, Intrinsic or Induced? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:327. [PMID: 33477370 PMCID: PMC7829888 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasingly sophisticated therapies for chemical castration dominate first-line treatments for locally advanced prostate cancer. However, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) offers little prospect of a cure, as resistant tumors emerge rather rapidly, normally within 30 months. Cells have multiple mechanisms of resistance to even the most sophisticated drug regimes, and both tumor cell heterogeneity in prostate cancer and the multiple salvage pathways result in castration-resistant disease related genetically to the original hormone-naive cancer. The timing and mechanisms of cell death after ADT for prostate cancer are not well understood, and off-target effects after long-term ADT due to functional extra-prostatic expression of the androgen receptor protein are now increasingly being recorded. Our knowledge of how these widely used treatments fail at a biological level in patients is deficient. In this review, I will discuss whether there are pre-existing drug-resistant cells in a tumor mass, or whether resistance is induced/selected by the ADT. Equally, what is the cell of origin of this resistance, and does it differ from the treatment-naïve tumor cells by differentiation or dedifferentiation? Conflicting evidence also emerges from studies in the range of biological systems and species employed to answer this key question. It is only by improving our understanding of this aspect of treatment and not simply devising another new means of androgen inhibition that we can improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman J Maitland
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
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24
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Kroon J, Meijer OC. Sex and Stress Steroid Crosstalk Reviewed: Give Us More. J Endocr Soc 2020; 4:bvaa113. [PMID: 32939438 PMCID: PMC7485787 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaa113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Kroon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
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25
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Molecular Characterisation of Canine Osteosarcoma in High Risk Breeds. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092405. [PMID: 32854182 PMCID: PMC7564920 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Dogs develop osteosarcoma (OSA) and the disease process closely resembles that of human OSA. OSA has a poor prognosis in both species and disease-free intervals and cure rates have not improved in recent years. Gene expression in canine OSAs was compared with non-tumor tissue utilising RNA sequencing, validated by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (n = 16). Polymorphic polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts in the androgen receptor (AR/NR3C4) and nuclear receptor coactivator 3 (NCOA3) genes were investigated in control and OSA patients using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Sanger sequencing and fragment analysis (n = 1019 Rottweilers, 379 Irish Wolfhounds). Our analysis identified 1281 significantly differentially expressed genes (>2 fold change, p < 0.05), specifically 839 lower and 442 elevated gene expression in osteosarcoma (n = 3) samples relative to non-malignant (n = 4) bone. Enriched pathways and gene ontologies were identified, which provide insight into the molecular pathways implicated in canine OSA. Expression of a subset of these genes (SLC2A1, DKK3, MMP3, POSTN, RBP4, ASPN) was validated by qRTPCR and immunohistochemistry (MMP3, DKK3, SLC2A1) respectively. While little variation was found in the NCOA3 polyQ tract, greater variation was present in both polyQ tracts in the AR, but no significant associations in length were made with OSA. The data provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of OSA in high risk breeds. This knowledge may inform development of new prevention strategies and treatments for OSA in dogs and supports utilising spontaneous OSA in dogs to improve understanding of the disease in people.
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26
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Cox MJ, Edwards MC, Rodriguez Paris V, Aflatounian A, Ledger WL, Gilchrist RB, Padmanabhan V, Handelsman DJ, Walters KA. Androgen Action in Adipose Tissue and the Brain are Key Mediators in the Development of PCOS Traits in a Mouse Model. Endocrinology 2020; 161:5821244. [PMID: 32301482 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disorder characterized by endocrine, reproductive, and metabolic abnormalities. Despite PCOS being the most common endocrinopathy affecting women of reproductive age, the etiology of PCOS is poorly understood, so there is no cure and symptomatic treatment is suboptimal. Hyperandrogenism is the most consistent feature observed in PCOS patients, and recently aberrant neuroendocrine signaling and adipose tissue function have been proposed as playing a role in the development of PCOS. To investigate the role of adipose tissue and the brain as key sites for androgen receptor (AR)-mediated development of PCOS, we combined a white and brown adipose and brain-specific AR knockout (AdBARKO) mouse model with a dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced mouse model of PCOS. As expected, in wildtype (WT) control females, DHT exposure induced the reproductive PCOS traits of cycle irregularity, ovulatory dysfunction, and reduced follicle health, whereas in AdBARKO females, DHT did not produce the reproductive features of PCOS. The metabolic PCOS characteristics of increased adiposity, adipocyte hypertrophy, and hepatic steatosis induced by DHT in WT females were not evident in DHT-treated AdBARKO females, which displayed normal white adipose tissue weight and no adipocyte hypertrophy or liver steatosis. Dihydrotestosterone treatment induced increased fasting glucose levels in both WT and AdBARKO females. These findings demonstrate that adipose tissue and the brain are key loci of androgen-mediated actions involved in the developmental origins of PCOS. These data support targeting adipocyte and neuroendocrine AR-driven pathways in the future development of novel therapeutic strategies for PCOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine J Cox
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Women's & Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Melissa C Edwards
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Women's & Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Valentina Rodriguez Paris
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Women's & Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ali Aflatounian
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Women's & Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - William L Ledger
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Women's & Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Robert B Gilchrist
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Women's & Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - David J Handelsman
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kirsty A Walters
- Fertility and Research Centre, School of Women's & Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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27
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Shang D, Wang L, Klionsky DJ, Cheng H, Zhou R. Sex differences in autophagy-mediated diseases: toward precision medicine. Autophagy 2020; 17:1065-1076. [PMID: 32264724 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1752511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Nearly all diseases in humans, to a certain extent, exhibit sex differences, including differences in the onset, progression, prevention, therapy, and prognosis of diseases. Accumulating evidence shows that macroautophagy/autophagy, as a mechanism for development, differentiation, survival, and homeostasis, is involved in numerous aspects of sex differences in diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular diseases. Advances in our knowledge regarding sex differences in autophagy-mediated diseases have enabled an understanding of their roles in human diseases, although the underlying molecular mechanisms of sex differences in autophagy remain largely unexplored. In this review, we discuss current advances in our insight into the biology of sex differences in autophagy and disease, information that will facilitate precision medicine.Abbreviations: AD: Azheimer disease; AMBRA1: autophagy and beclin 1 regulator 1; APP: amyloid beta precursor protein; AR: androgen receptor; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; ATG: autophagy related; ATP6AP2: ATPase H+ transporting accessory protein 2; BCL2L1: BCL2 like 1; BECN1: beclin 1; CTSD: cathepsin D; CYP19A1: cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1; DSD: disorders of sex development; eALDI: enhancer alternate long-distance initiator; ESR1: estrogen receptor 1; ESR2: estrogen receptor 2; FYCO1: FYVE and coiled-coil domain autophagy adaptor 1; GABARAP: GABA type A receptor-associated protein; GLA: galactosidase alpha; GTEx: genotype-tissue expression; HDAC6: histone deacetylase 6; I-R: ischemia-reperfusion; LAMP2: lysosomal associated membrane protein 2; MAP1LC3B/LC3B: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; m6A: N6-methyladenosine; MYBL2: MYB proto-oncogene like 2; PIK3C3: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 3; PSEN1: presenilin 1; PSEN2: presenilin 2; RAB9A, RAB9A: member RAS oncogene family; RAB9B, RAB9B: member RAS oncogene family; RAB40AL: RAB40A like; SF1: splicing factor 1; SOX9: SRY-box transcription factor 9; SRY: sex determining region Y; TFEB: transcription factor EB; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1; UVRAG: UV radiation resistance associated; VDAC2: voltage dependent anion channel 2; WDR45: WD repeat domain 45; XPDS: X-linked parkinsonism and spasticity; YTHDF2: YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dangtong Shang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Lingling Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Daniel J Klionsky
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Hanhua Cheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Rongjia Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan, China.,Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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28
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Duong P, Tenkorang MAA, Trieu J, McCuiston C, Rybalchenko N, Cunningham RL. Neuroprotective and neurotoxic outcomes of androgens and estrogens in an oxidative stress environment. Biol Sex Differ 2020; 11:12. [PMID: 32223745 PMCID: PMC7104511 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-0283-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of sex hormones on cellular function is unclear. Studies show androgens and estrogens are protective in the CNS, whereas other studies found no effects or damaging effects. Furthermore, sex differences have been observed in multiple oxidative stress-associated CNS disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, depression, and Parkinson's disease. The goal of this study is to examine the relationship between sex hormones (i.e., androgens and estrogens) and oxidative stress on cell viability. METHODS N27 and PC12 neuronal and C6 glial phenotypic cell lines were used. N27 cells are female rat derived, whereas PC12 cells and C6 cells are male rat derived. These cells express estrogen receptors and the membrane-associated androgen receptor variant, AR45, but not the full-length androgen receptor. N27, PC12, and C6 cells were exposed to sex hormones either before or after an oxidative stressor to examine neuroprotective and neurotoxic properties, respectively. Estrogen receptor and androgen receptor inhibitors were used to determine the mechanisms mediating hormone-oxidative stress interactions on cell viability. Since the presence of AR45 in the human brain tissue was unknown, we examined the postmortem brain tissue from men and women for AR45 protein expression. RESULTS Neither androgens nor estrogens were protective against subsequent oxidative stress insults in glial cells. However, these hormones exhibited neuroprotective properties in neuronal N27 and PC12 cells via the estrogen receptor. Interestingly, a window of opportunity exists for sex hormone neuroprotection, wherein temporary hormone deprivation blocked neuroprotection by sex hormones. However, if sex hormones are applied following an oxidative stressor, they exacerbated oxidative stress-induced cell loss in neuronal and glial cells. CONCLUSIONS Sex hormone action on cell viability is dependent on the cellular environment. In healthy neuronal cells, sex hormones are protective against oxidative stress insults via the estrogen receptor, regardless of sex chromosome complement (XX, XY). However, in unhealthy (e.g., high oxidative stress) cells, sex hormones exacerbated oxidative stress-induced cell loss, regardless of cell type or sex chromosome complement. The non-genomic AR45 receptor, which is present in humans, mediated androgen's damaging effects, but it is unknown which receptor mediated estrogen's damaging effects. These differential effects of sex hormones that are dependent on the cellular environment, receptor profile, and cell type may mediate the observed sex differences in oxidative stress-associated CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phong Duong
- Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Institute for Healthy Aging, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Mavis A A Tenkorang
- Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Institute for Healthy Aging, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Jenny Trieu
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Clayton McCuiston
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Nataliya Rybalchenko
- Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Institute for Healthy Aging, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Rebecca L Cunningham
- Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Institute for Healthy Aging, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA. .,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UNT System College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3400 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA.
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29
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Cruz-Topete D, Dominic P, Stokes KY. Uncovering sex-specific mechanisms of action of testosterone and redox balance. Redox Biol 2020; 31:101490. [PMID: 32169396 PMCID: PMC7212492 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular and pharmacological manipulation of the endogenous redox system is a promising therapy to limit myocardial damage after a heart attack; however, antioxidant therapies have failed to fully establish their cardioprotective effects, suggesting that additional factors, including antioxidant system interactions with other molecular pathways, may alter the pharmacological effects of antioxidants. Since gender differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) are prevalent, and sex is an essential determinant of the response to oxidative stress, it is of particular interest to understand the effects of sex hormone signaling on the activity and expression of cellular antioxidants and the pharmacological actions of antioxidant therapies. In the present review, we briefly summarize the current understanding of testosterone effects on the modulation of the endogenous antioxidant systems in the CV system, cardiomyocytes, and the heart. We also review the latest research on redox balance and sexual dimorphism, with particular emphasis on the role of the natural antioxidant system glutathione (GSH) in the context of myocardial infarction, and the pro- and antioxidant effects of testosterone signaling via the androgen receptor (AR) on the heart. Finally, we discuss future perspectives regarding the potential of using combing antioxidant and testosterone replacement therapies to protect the aging myocardium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Cruz-Topete
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Shreveport, LA, USA; Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences, Shreveport, LA, USA.
| | - Paari Dominic
- Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences, Shreveport, LA, USA; Department of Cardiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Karen Y Stokes
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Shreveport, LA, USA; Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences, Shreveport, LA, USA
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30
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Contreras-Zárate MJ, Cittelly DM. Sex steroid hormone function in the brain niche: Implications for brain metastatic colonization and progression. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2020; 5:e1241. [PMID: 33350105 PMCID: PMC8022872 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 01/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While sex hormones and their receptors play well-known roles in progression of primary tumors through direct action on sex steroid hormone-responsive cancer cells, emerging evidence suggest that hormones also play important roles in metastatic progression by modulating the tumor microenvironment. Estrogens and androgens synthesized in gonads and within the brain influence memory, behavior, and outcomes of brain pathologies. Yet, their impact on brain metastatic colonization and progression is just beginning to be explored. RECENT FINDINGS Estradiol and testosterone cross the blood-brain barrier and are synthesized de novo in astrocytes and other cells within the adult brain. Circulating and brain-synthesized estrogens have been shown to promote brain metastatic colonization of tumors lacking estrogen receptors (ERs), through mechanisms involving the upregulation of growth factors and neurotrophins in ER+ reactive astrocytes. In this review, we discuss additional mechanisms by which hormones may influence brain metastases, through modulation of brain endothelial cells, astrocytes, and microglia. CONCLUSION A greater understanding of hormone-brain-tumor interactions may shed further light on the mechanisms underlying the adaptation of cancer cells to the brain niche, and provide therapeutic alternatives modulating the brain metastatic niche.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diana M Cittelly
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
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31
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Ruetten H, Wegner KA, Zhang HL, Wang P, Sandhu J, Sandhu S, Mueller B, Wang Z, Macoska J, Peterson RE, Bjorling DE, Ricke WA, Marker PC, Vezina CM. Impact of sex, androgens, and prostate size on C57BL/6J mouse urinary physiology: functional assessment. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2019; 317:F996-F1009. [PMID: 31390231 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00270.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Laboratory mice are used to identify causes of urinary dysfunction including prostate-related mechanisms of lower urinary tract symptoms. Effective use of mice for this purpose requires a clear understanding of molecular, cellular, anatomic, and endocrine contributions to voiding function. Whether the prostate influences baseline voiding function has not been specifically evaluated, in part because most methods that alter prostate mass also change circulating testosterone concentrations. We performed void spot assay and cystometry to establish a multiparameter "baseline" of voiding function in intact male and female 9-wk-old (adult) C57BL/6J mice. We then compared voiding function in intact male mice to that of castrated male mice, male (and female) mice treated with the steroid 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride, or male mice harboring alleles (Pbsn4cre/+; R26RDta/+) that significantly reduce prostate lobe mass by depleting prostatic luminal epithelial cells. We evaluated aging-related changes in male urinary voiding. We also treated intact male, castrate male, and female mice with exogenous testosterone to determine the influence of androgen on voiding function. The three methods used to reduce prostate mass (castration, finasteride, and Pbsn4cre/+; R26RDta/+) changed voiding function from baseline but in a nonuniform manner. Castration feminized some aspects of male urinary physiology (making them more like intact female mice) while exogenous testosterone masculinized some aspects of female urinary physiology (making them more like intact male mice). Our results provide evidence that circulating testosterone is responsible in part for baseline sex differences in C57BL/6J mouse voiding function while prostate lobe mass in young, healthy adult mice has a lesser influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Ruetten
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.,University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kyle A Wegner
- University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts.,Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Helen L Zhang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.,University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Peiqing Wang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.,University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts.,Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jaskiran Sandhu
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.,University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Simran Sandhu
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.,University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brett Mueller
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.,University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Zunyi Wang
- University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts.,Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jill Macoska
- University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts.,Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Richard E Peterson
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Dale E Bjorling
- University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - William A Ricke
- University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts.,Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.,Department of Urology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Paul C Marker
- University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts.,Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Chad M Vezina
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.,University of Wisconsin-Madison/UMASS Boston George M. O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research, Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts.,Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
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32
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Shiono S, Williamson J, Kapur J, Joshi S. Progesterone receptor activation regulates seizure susceptibility. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2019; 6:1302-1310. [PMID: 31353848 PMCID: PMC6649646 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.50830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Progesterone is a potent neuromodulator that exerts effects on the brain through neurosteroids, progesterone receptors (PRs), and other molecules. Whether PR activation regulates seizures is not known. We determined whether PR activation increased seizure susceptibility. METHODS Adult female rats that developed epilepsy following lithium-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) were used. Seizures were recorded by continuous-video EEG and read by an individual blinded to the treatment of the animals. The animals were treated for a week with progesterone (50 mg/kg per day), and the effect of progesterone withdrawal on seizure frequency was assessed during the subsequent week. During the week of progesterone treatment, the animals were treated with PR antagonist RU-486 (10 mg/kg per day) or a vehicle control, which was administered 30 min before progesterone. In another set of animals, we determined the effect of the PR agonist Nestorone (3 mg/kg per day) on seizure frequency. The animals were treated with Nestorone or vehicle for a week, and seizure frequencies at baseline and during the treatment week were compared. RESULTS Progesterone withdrawal induced twofold increase in seizures in 57% of animals (n = 14). RU-486 treatment in combination with progesterone, prevented this increase, and a smaller fraction of animals (17%) experienced withdrawal seizures (n = 13). The specific activation of PRs by Nestorone also increased the seizure frequency. Forty-six percent (n = 14) of Nestorone-treated animals experienced at least a 50% increase in seizures compared to only 9% of the vehicle-treated animals (n = 11). INTERPRETATION PR activation increased seizure frequency in epileptic animals. Thus, PRs may be novel targets for treating catamenial epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinnosuke Shiono
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginia22908
| | - John Williamson
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginia22908
| | - Jaideep Kapur
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginia22908
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginia22908
- UVA Brain Institute, University of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginia22908
| | - Suchitra Joshi
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginia22908
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Wadthaisong M, Witayavanitkul N, Bupha‐Intr T, Wattanapermpool J, de Tombe PP. Chronic high-dose testosterone treatment: impact on rat cardiac contractile biology. Physiol Rep 2019; 7:e14192. [PMID: 31353833 PMCID: PMC6661270 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Androgen therapy provides cardiovascular benefits for hypogonadism. However, myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis, and infarction have been reported in testosterone or androgenic anabolic steroid abuse. Therefore, better understanding of the factors leading to adverse results of androgen abuse is needed. The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of high dose of androgen treatment on cardiac biology, and whether exposure duration modulates this response. Male rats were treated with 10 mg/kg testosterone, three times a week, for either 4 or 12 weeks; vehicle injections served as controls. Four weeks of testosterone treatment induced an increase in ventricular wall thickness, indicative of concentric hypertrophy, as well as increased ejection fraction; in contrast, both parameters were blunted following 12 weeks of high-dose testosterone treatment. Cardiac myocyte contractile parameters were assessed in isolated electrically stimulated myocytes (sarcomere and intracellular calcium dynamics), and in chemically permeabilized isolated myocardium (myofilament force development and tension-cost). High-dose testosterone treatment for 4 weeks was associated with increased myocyte contractile parameters, while 12 weeks treatment induced significant depression of these parameters, mirroring the cardiac pump function results. In conclusion, chronic administration of high-dose testosterone initially induces increased cardiac function. However, this initial beneficial impact is followed by significant depression of cardiac pump function, myocyte contractility, and cardiac myofilament function. Our results indicate that chronic high-testosterone usage is of limited use and may, instead, induce significant cardiac dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munthana Wadthaisong
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of ScienceMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
- Department of Cell and Molecular PhysiologyLoyola University Chicago Health Sciences DivisionMaywoodIllinois
| | - Namthip Witayavanitkul
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of ScienceMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
- Department of Cell and Molecular PhysiologyLoyola University Chicago Health Sciences DivisionMaywoodIllinois
| | - Tepmanas Bupha‐Intr
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of ScienceMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
| | | | - Pieter P. de Tombe
- Department of Cell and Molecular PhysiologyLoyola University Chicago Health Sciences DivisionMaywoodIllinois
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIllinois
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Ayaz O, Banga S, Heinze-Milne S, Rose RA, Pyle WG, Howlett SE. Long-term testosterone deficiency modifies myofilament and calcium-handling proteins and promotes diastolic dysfunction in the aging mouse heart. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2019; 316:H768-H780. [PMID: 30657724 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00471.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The impact of long-term gonadectomy (GDX) on cardiac contractile function was explored in the setting of aging. Male mice were subjected to bilateral GDX or sham operation (4 wk) and investigated at 16-18 mo of age. Ventricular myocytes were field stimulated (2 Hz, 37°C). Peak Ca2+ transients (fura 2) and contractions were similar in GDX and sham-operated mice, although Ca2+ transients (50% decay time: 45.2 ± 2.3 vs. 55.6 ± 3.1 ms, P < 0.05) and contractions (time constant of relaxation: 39.1 ± 3.2 vs. 69.5 ± 9.3 ms, P < 0.05) were prolonged in GDX mice. Action potential duration was increased in myocytes from GDX mice, but this did not account for prolonged responses, as Ca2+ transient decay was slow even when cells from GDX mice were voltage clamped with simulated "sham" action potentials. Western blots of proteins involved in Ca2+ sequestration and efflux showed that Na+/Ca2+ exchanger and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase type 2 protein levels were unaffected, whereas phospholamban was dramatically higher in ventricles from aging GDX mice (0.24 ± 0.02 vs. 0.86 ± 0.13, P < 0.05). Myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity at physiological Ca2+ was similar, but phosphorylation of essential myosin light chain 1 was reduced by ≈50% in ventricles from aging GDX mice. M-mode echocardiography showed no change in systolic function (e.g., ejection fraction). Critically, pulse-wave Doppler echocardiography showed that GDX slowed isovolumic relaxation time (12.9 ± 0.9 vs. 16.9 ± 1.0 ms, P < 0.05), indicative of diastolic dysfunction. Thus, dysregulation of intracellular Ca2+ and myofilament dysfunction contribute to deficits in contraction in hearts from testosterone-deficient aging mice. This suggests that low testosterone helps promote diastolic dysfunction in the aging heart. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The influence of long-term gonadectomy on contractile function was examined in aging male hearts. Gonadectomy slowed the decay of Ca2+ transients and contractions in ventricular myocytes and slowed isovolumic relaxation time, demonstrating diastolic dysfunction. Underlying mechanisms included Ca2+ dysregulation, elevated phospholamban protein levels, and hypophosphorylation of a myofilament protein, essential myosin light chain. Testosterone deficiency led to intracellular Ca2+ dysregulation and myofilament dysfunction, which may facilitate diastolic dysfunction in the setting of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Ayaz
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University , Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
| | - Shubham Banga
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University , Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
| | - Stefan Heinze-Milne
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University , Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
| | - Robert A Rose
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary , Calgary, Alberta , Canada
| | - W Glen Pyle
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph , Guelph, Ontario , Canada
| | - Susan E Howlett
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University , Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary , Calgary, Alberta , Canada
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35
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Yu Y, Wei SG, Weiss RM, Felder RB. Sex differences in the central and peripheral manifestations of ischemia-induced heart failure in rats. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2019; 316:H70-H79. [PMID: 30289294 PMCID: PMC6383354 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00499.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in the presentation, outcome, and responses to treatment of systolic heart failure (HF) have been reported. In the present study, we examined the effect of sex on central neural mechanisms contributing to neurohumoral excitation and its peripheral manifestations in rats with HF. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent coronary artery ligation (CL) to induce HF. Age-matched rats served as controls. Ischemic zone and left ventricular function were similar 24 h and 4 wk after CL. Female rats with HF had a lower mortality rate and less hemodynamic compromise, pulmonary congestion, and right ventricular remodeling 4 wk after CL. Plasma angiotensin II (ANG II), arginine vasopressin (AVP), and norepinephrine levels were increased in HF rats in both sexes, but AVP and norepinephrine levels increased less in female rats. In the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, a key cardiovascular-related nucleus contributing to neurohumoral excitation in HF, mRNA levels for the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β as well as cyclooxygenase-2 and the ANG II type 1a receptor were increased in HF rats of both sexes, but less so in female rats. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 protein levels increased in female HF rats but decreased in male HF rats. mRNA levels of AVP were lower in female rats in both control and HF groups compared with the respective male groups. Activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 increased similarly in both sexes in HF. The results suggest that female HF rats have less central neural excitation and less associated hemodynamic compromise than male HF rats with the same degree of initial ischemic cardiac injury. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Sex differences in the presentation and responses to treatment of heart failure (HF) are widely recognized, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The present study describes sex differences in the central nervous system mechanisms that drive neurohumoral excitation in ischemia-induced HF. Female rats had a less intense central neurochemical response to HF and experienced less hemodynamic compromise. Sex hormones may contribute to these differences in the central and peripheral adaptations to HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa , Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Shun-Guang Wei
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa , Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Robert M Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa , Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Robert B Felder
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa , Iowa City, Iowa
- Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center , Iowa City, Iowa
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36
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Hua Y, Azeem W, Shen Y, Zhang S, Olsen JR, Øyan AM, Ke X, Zhang W, Kalland KH. Dual androgen receptor (AR) and STAT3 inhibition by a compound targeting the AR amino-terminal domain. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2018; 6:e00437. [PMID: 30410767 PMCID: PMC6218398 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) often recurs as incurable castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) after the failure of androgen deprivation therapy. CRPC development relies on androgen receptor (AR) signaling. The IL6/STAT3 pathway is also a key driver of CRPC. The crosstalk between IL6/STAT3 and the AR pathways provides opportunities to explore next-generation agents to treat PCa. Through screening of around 600 natural compounds in our newly established prostate tumorigenesis model, potential STAT3 signaling inhibitors were found and additionally examined for effects on AR signaling. The small molecular compound 154 exhibited dual effects on IL6/STAT3 and AR pathways. We show here that compound 154 inhibits AR and STAT3 transcriptional activity, reduces the expression of phosphorylation of STAT3 (Y705) and downregulates the mRNA levels of AR target genes. Compound 154 also inhibits protein expression of AR and AR splice variants (ARv567es and AR-V7) without altering AR mRNA levels. Compound 154 binds to AR directly, but not to STAT3 and is identified as an antagonist of the AR amino-terminal domain (NTD) by disrupting protein-protein interactions between STAT3 and the AR NTD. Moreover, compound 154 does not reduce AR nuclear translocation. Compound 154 possesses the potential to become a leading compound in novel therapies against CRPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Hua
- Department of Clinical Science University of Bergen Bergen Norway
| | - Waqas Azeem
- Department of Clinical Science University of Bergen Bergen Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomarkers University of Bergen Bergen Norway
| | - Yunheng Shen
- College of Pharmacy Second Military Medical University Shanghai China
| | - Shoude Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture Qinghai University Qinghai China
| | - Jan R Olsen
- Department of Clinical Science University of Bergen Bergen Norway
| | - Anne M Øyan
- Department of Clinical Science University of Bergen Bergen Norway
| | - Xisong Ke
- Department of Clinical Science University of Bergen Bergen Norway
| | - Weidong Zhang
- College of Pharmacy Second Military Medical University Shanghai China
| | - Karl-Henning Kalland
- Department of Clinical Science University of Bergen Bergen Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomarkers University of Bergen Bergen Norway.,Department of Microbiology Haukeland University Hospital Bergen Norway
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37
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Dart DA, Kandil S, Tommasini-Ghelfi S, Serrano de Almeida G, Bevan CL, Jiang W, Westwell AD. Novel Trifluoromethylated Enobosarm Analogues with Potent Antiandrogenic Activity In Vitro and Tissue Selectivity In Vivo. Mol Cancer Ther 2018; 17:1846-1858. [PMID: 29895558 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-18-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer often develops antiandrogen resistance, possibly via androgen receptor (AR) mutations, which change antagonists to agonists. Novel therapies with increased anticancer activity, while overcoming current drug resistance are urgently needed. Enobosarm has anabolic effects on muscle and bone while having no effect on the prostate. Here, we describe the activity of novel chemically modified enobosarm analogues. The rational addition of bis-trifluoromethyl groups into ring B of enobosarm, profoundly modified their activity, pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution profiles. These chemical structural modifications resulted in an improved AR binding affinity-by increasing the molecular occupational volume near helix 12 of AR. In vitro, the analogues SK33 and SK51 showed very potent antiandrogenic activity, monitored using LNCaP/AR-Luciferase cells where growth, PSA and luciferase activity were used as AR activity measurements. These compounds were 10-fold more potent than bicalutamide and 100-fold more potent than enobosarm within the LNCaP model. These compounds were also active in LNCaP/BicR cells with acquired bicalutamide resistance. In vivo, using the AR-Luc reporter mice, these drugs showed potent AR inhibitory activity in the prostate and other AR-expressing tissues, e.g., testes, seminal vesicles, and brain. These compounds do not inhibit AR activity in the skeletal muscle, and spleen, thus indicating a selective tissue inhibitory profile. These compounds were also active in vivo in the Pb-Pten deletion model. SK33 and SK51 have significantly different and enhanced activity profiles compared with enobosarm and are ideal candidates for further development for prostate cancer therapy with potentially fewer side effects. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(9); 1846-58. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Alwyn Dart
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. .,Androgen Signaling Laboratory, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sahar Kandil
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Serena Tommasini-Ghelfi
- Androgen Signaling Laboratory, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gilberto Serrano de Almeida
- Androgen Signaling Laboratory, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte L Bevan
- Androgen Signaling Laboratory, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wenguo Jiang
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew D Westwell
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
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38
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Rahman TU, Ullah K, Guo MX, Pan HT, Liu J, Ren J, Jin LY, Zhou YZ, Cheng Y, Sheng JZ, Huang HF. Androgen-induced alterations in endometrial proteins crucial in recurrent miscarriages. Oncotarget 2018; 9:24627-24641. [PMID: 29872493 PMCID: PMC5973874 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
High androgen level impairs endometrial receptivity in women experiences the recurrent miscarriage. The mechanism of androgen actions on endometrium is still uncertain. We hypothesized that androgen has a direct effect on the endometrium in women with recurrent miscarriage. In the present study, we assess the impact of androgen (A2) at high concentration (10–7 M) on Ishikawa cells compared with the physiological concentration of androgen (10–9 M). To go into deeper analysis, we use global stable isotopes labeled profiling tactic using iTRAQ reagents, followed by 2D LC-MS/MS. We determine 175 non-redundant proteins, and 18 of these were quantified. The analysis of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) identified 8 up-regulated proteins and 10 down-regulated in the high androgen group. These DEPs were examined by ingenuity pathway (IPA) analysis and established that these proteins might play vital roles in recurrent miscarriage and endometrium receptivity. In addition, proteins cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2a (CDKN2a), endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR), armadillo repeat for velocardiofacial (ARVCF) were independently confirmed using western blot. Knockdown of CDKN2a significantly decreased the expression level of CDKN2a protein in ishikawa cells, and decreased migration (p < 0.01), invasion (p < 0.05), proliferation (p < 0.05), and the rate of Jar spheroid attachment (p < 0.05) to Ishikawa cell monolayer. The present results suggest that androgen at high concentration could alter the expression levels of proteins related to endometrium development and embryo implantation, which might be a cause of the impaired endometrial receptivity and miscarriage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanzil Ur Rahman
- The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kamran Ullah
- The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Zoology, University of Swabi, Anbar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Meng-Xi Guo
- The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hai-Tao Pan
- Shaoxing Women and Children's Hospital, Shaoxing, China
| | - Juan Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Ren
- The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lu-Yang Jin
- The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Zhong Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Cheng
- The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Zhong Sheng
- The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - He-Feng Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.,The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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39
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van der Veen DR, Riede SJ, Heideman PD, Hau M, van der Vinne V, Hut RA. Flexible clock systems: adjusting the temporal programme. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0254. [PMID: 28993498 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Under natural conditions, many aspects of the abiotic and biotic environment vary with time of day, season or even era, while these conditions are typically kept constant in laboratory settings. The timing information contained within the environment serves as critical timing cues for the internal biological timing system, but how this system drives daily rhythms in behaviour and physiology may also depend on the internal state of the animal. The disparity between timing of these cues in natural and laboratory conditions can result in substantial differences in the scheduling of behaviour and physiology under these conditions. In nature, temporal coordination of biological processes is critical to maximize fitness because they optimize the balance between reproduction, foraging and predation risk. Here we focus on the role of peripheral circadian clocks, and the rhythms that they drive, in enabling adaptive phenotypes. We discuss how reproduction, endocrine activity and metabolism interact with peripheral clocks, and outline the complex phenotypes arising from changes in this system. We conclude that peripheral timing is critical to adaptive plasticity of circadian organization in the field, and that we must abandon standard laboratory conditions to understand the mechanisms that underlie this plasticity which maximizes fitness under natural conditions.This article is part of the themed issue 'Wild clocks: integrating chronobiology and ecology to understand timekeeping in free-living animals'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan R van der Veen
- School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Sjaak J Riede
- Chronobiology Unit, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Paul D Heideman
- Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, USA
| | - Michaela Hau
- Max-Planck-Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany and University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Vincent van der Vinne
- Neurobiology Department, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Roelof A Hut
- Chronobiology Unit, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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40
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Khalil R, Kim NR, Jardi F, Vanderschueren D, Claessens F, Decallonne B. Sex steroids and the kidney: role in renal calcium and phosphate handling. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 465:61-72. [PMID: 29155307 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Calcium and phosphate are vital for the organism and constitute essential components of the skeleton. Serum levels are tightly hormonally regulated and maintained by exchange with three major sources: the intestines, the kidney and the bone. The effects of sex steroids on the bone have been extensively studied and it is well known that sex steroid deficiency induces bone loss, indirectly influencing renal calcium and phosphate homeostasis. However, it is unknown whether sex steroids also directly regulate renal calcium and phosphate handling, hereby potentially indirectly impacting on bone. The presence of androgen receptors (AR) and estrogen receptors (ER) in both human and rodent kidney, although their exact localization within the kidney remains debated, supports direct effects. Estrogens stimulate renal calcium reabsorption as well as phosphate excretion, while the effects of androgens are less clear. Many of the studies performed with regard to renal calcium and/or phosphate homeostasis do not correct for the calcium and phosphate fluxes from the bone and intestines, which complicates the differentiation between the direct effects of sex steroids on renal calcium and phosphate handling and the indirect effects via the bone and intestines. The objective of this study is to review the literature and current insight of the role of sex steroids in calcium and phosphate handling in the kidney.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rougin Khalil
- Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 902, Belgium.
| | - Na Ri Kim
- Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 902, Belgium
| | - Ferran Jardi
- Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 902, Belgium
| | - Dirk Vanderschueren
- Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 902, Belgium
| | - Frank Claessens
- Molecular Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 901, Belgium
| | - Brigitte Decallonne
- Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 902, Belgium
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41
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Simitsidellis I, Saunders PTK, Gibson DA. Androgens and endometrium: New insights and new targets. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 465:48-60. [PMID: 28919297 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Androgens are synthesised in both the ovary and adrenals in women and play an important role in the regulation of female fertility, as well as in the aetiology of disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis and endometrial cancer. The endometrium is an androgen target tissue and the impact of AR-mediated effects has been studied using human endometrial tissue samples and rodent models. In this review we highlight recent evidence that endometrial androgen biosynthesis and intracrine action is important in preparation of a tissue microenvironment that can support implantation and establishment of pregnancy. The impact of androgens on endometrial cell proliferation, in repair of the endometrial wound at the time of menstruation and in endometrial disorders is discussed. Future directions for research focused on AR function as a therapeutic target are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Simitsidellis
- Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Philippa T K Saunders
- Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Douglas A Gibson
- Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK.
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42
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Hunter I, Hay CW, Esswein B, Watt K, McEwan IJ. Tissue control of androgen action: The ups and downs of androgen receptor expression. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 465:27-35. [PMID: 28789969 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The hormone testosterone plays crucial roles during male development and puberty and throughout life, as an anabolic regulator of muscle and bone structure and function. The actions of testosterone are mediated, primarily, through the androgen receptor, a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. The androgen receptor gene is located on the X-chromosome and receptor levels are tightly controlled both at the level of transcription of the gene and post-translationally at the protein level. Sp1 has emerged as the major driver of expression of the androgen receptor gene, while auto-regulation by androgens is associated with both positive and negative regulation in a possible cell-selective manner. Research into the networks of positive and negative regulators of the androgen receptor gene are vital in order to understand the temporal and spatial control of receptor levels and the consequences for healthy aging and disease. A clear understanding of the multiple transcription factors participating in regulation of the androgen receptor gene will likely aid in the development and application of hormone therapies to boast or curb receptor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Hunter
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK
| | - Colin W Hay
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK
| | - Bianca Esswein
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK; Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat, Jena, Germany
| | - Kate Watt
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK
| | - Iain J McEwan
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK.
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43
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Walters KA, Edwards MC, Tesic D, Caldwell ASL, Jimenez M, Smith JT, Handelsman DJ. The Role of Central Androgen Receptor Actions in Regulating the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis. Neuroendocrinology 2018; 106:389-400. [PMID: 29635226 DOI: 10.1159/000487762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) is expressed throughout the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, and findings from female global AR knockout mice confirm that AR-mediated androgen actions play important roles in regulating female reproductive function. We generated neuron-specific AR knockout mice (NeurARKO) to investigate the functional role of neuronal AR-mediated androgen action in regulating the female HPG axis and fertility. Relative to control females, NeurARKO females exhibited elevated luteinizing hormone (LH) levels at diestrus (p < 0.05) and a compromised serum LH response to ovariectomy and E2 priming (p < 0.01). Furthermore, NeurARKO females displayed reduced Kiss1 mRNA expression in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus at diestrus (p < 0.05) and proestrus (p < 0.05), but elevated Kiss1 (p < 0.05) and neurokinin B (Tac2, p < 0.05) mRNA expression in the arcuate nucleus at proestrus compared to WT controls. Ovarian follicle dynamics were also altered in NeurARKO ovaries at 3 months of age, with a significant reduction in large antral follicle numbers at the proestrus stage compared to control WT ovaries (p < 0.05). Increased follicular atresia was evident in NeurARKO ovaries with a 4-fold increase in unhealthy large preantral follicles (p < 0.01). Despite the findings of aberrant neuroendocrine and ovarian characteristics in the NeurARKO females, estrous cyclicity and overall fertility were comparable between NeurARKO and WT females. In conclusion, our findings revealed that selective loss of neuronal AR actions impacts the kisspeptin/GnRH/LH cascade leading to compromised ovarian follicle dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty A Walters
- School of Women's & Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Melissa C Edwards
- School of Women's & Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dijana Tesic
- School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Washington, Australia
| | - Aimee S L Caldwell
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mark Jimenez
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jeremy T Smith
- School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Washington, Australia
| | - David J Handelsman
- Andrology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Davey RA, Clarke MV, Russell PK, Rana K, Seto J, Roeszler KN, How JMY, Chia LY, North K, Zajac JD. Androgen Action via the Androgen Receptor in Neurons Within the Brain Positively Regulates Muscle Mass in Male Mice. Endocrinology 2017; 158:3684-3695. [PMID: 28977603 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although it is well established that exogenous androgens have anabolic effects on skeletal muscle mass in humans and mice, data from muscle-specific androgen receptor (AR) knockout (ARKO) mice indicate that myocytic expression of the AR is dispensable for hind-limb muscle mass accrual in males. To identify possible indirect actions of androgens via the AR in neurons to regulate muscle, we generated neuron-ARKO mice in which the dominant DNA binding-dependent actions of the AR are deleted in neurons of the cortex, forebrain, hypothalamus, and olfactory bulb. Serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels were elevated twofold in neuron-ARKO males compared with wild-type littermates due to disruption of negative feedback to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Despite this increase in serum testosterone levels, which was expected to increase muscle mass, the mass of the mixed-fiber gastrocnemius (Gast) and the fast-twitch fiber extensor digitorum longus hind-limb muscles was decreased by 10% in neuron-ARKOs at 12 weeks of age, whereas muscle strength and fatigue of the Gast were unaffected. The mass of the soleus muscle, however, which consists of a high proportion of slow-twitch fibers, was unaffected in neuron-ARKOs, demonstrating a stimulatory action of androgens via the AR in neurons to increase the mass of fast-twitch hind-limb muscles. Furthermore, neuron-ARKOs displayed reductions in voluntary and involuntary physical activity by up to 60%. These data provide evidence for a role of androgens via the AR in neurons to positively regulate fast-twitch hind-limb muscle mass and physical activity in male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Davey
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Michele V Clarke
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Patricia K Russell
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Kesha Rana
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Jane Seto
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kelly N Roeszler
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jackie M Y How
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Ling Yeong Chia
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Kathryn North
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jeffrey D Zajac
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
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Heinzmann K, Carter LM, Lewis JS, Aboagye EO. Multiplexed imaging for diagnosis and therapy. Nat Biomed Eng 2017; 1:697-713. [PMID: 31015673 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-017-0131-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Complex molecular and metabolic phenotypes depict cancers as a constellation of different diseases with common themes. Precision imaging of such phenotypes requires flexible and tunable modalities capable of identifying phenotypic fingerprints by using a restricted number of parameters while ensuring sensitivity to dynamic biological regulation. Common phenotypes can be detected by in vivo imaging technologies, and effectively define the emerging standards for disease classification and patient stratification in radiology. However, for the imaging data to accurately represent a complex fingerprint, the individual imaging parameters need to be measured and analysed in relation to their wider spatial and molecular context. In this respect, targeted palettes of molecular imaging probes facilitate the detection of heterogeneity in oncogene-driven alterations and their response to treatment, and lead to the expansion of rational-design elements for the combination of imaging experiments. In this Review, we evaluate criteria for conducting multiplexed imaging, and discuss its opportunities for improving patient diagnosis and the monitoring of therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Heinzmann
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Lukas M Carter
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Jason S Lewis
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Eric O Aboagye
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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Gholami K, Loh SY, Salleh N, Lam SK, Hoe SZ. Selection of suitable endogenous reference genes for qPCR in kidney and hypothalamus of rats under testosterone influence. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176368. [PMID: 28591185 PMCID: PMC5462341 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is the most reliable and accurate technique for analyses of gene expression. Endogenous reference genes are being used to normalize qPCR data even though their expression may vary under different conditions and in different tissues. Nonetheless, verification of expression of reference genes in selected studied tissue is essential in order to accurately assess the level of expression of target genes of interest. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to examine six commonly used reference genes in order to identify the gene being expressed most constantly under the influence of testosterone in the kidneys and hypothalamus. The reference genes include glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), actin beta (ACTB), beta-2 microglobulin (B2m), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HPRT), peptidylprolylisomerase A (Ppia) and hydroxymethylbilane synthase (Hmbs). The cycle threshold (Ct) value for each gene was determined and data obtained were analyzed using the software programs NormFinder, geNorm, BestKeeper, and rank aggregation. Results showed that Hmbs and Ppia genes were the most stably expressed in the hypothalamus. Meanwhile, in kidneys, Hmbs and GAPDH appeared to be the most constant genes. In conclusion, variations in expression levels of reference genes occur in kidneys and hypothalamus under similar conditions; thus, it is important to verify reference gene levels in these tissues prior to commencing any studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadijeh Gholami
- Division of Human Biology, School of Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- * E-mail:
| | - Su Yi Loh
- Division of Human Biology, School of Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Naguib Salleh
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sau Kuen Lam
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - See Ziau Hoe
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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47
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Lukiw WJ, Rogaev EI. Genetics of Aggression in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:87. [PMID: 28443016 PMCID: PMC5385328 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a terminal, age-related neurological syndrome exhibiting progressive cognitive and memory decline, however AD patients in addition exhibit ancillary neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) and these include aggression. In this communication we provide recent evidence for the mis-regulation of a small family of genes expressed in the human hippocampus that appear to be significantly involved in expression patterns common to both AD and aggression. DNA array- and mRNA transcriptome-based gene expression analysis and candidate gene association and/or genome-wide association studies (CGAS, GWAS) of aggressive attributes in humans have revealed a surprisingly small subset of six brain genes that are also strongly associated with altered gene expression patterns in AD. These genes encoded on five different chromosomes (chr) include the androgen receptor (AR; chrXq12), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF; chr11p14.1), catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT; chr22q11.21), neuronal specific nitric oxide synthase (NOS1; chr12q24.22), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH chr9q34.2) and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH1, chr11p15.1 and TPH2, chr12q21.1). Interestingly, (i) the expression of three of these six genes (COMT, DBH, NOS1) are highly variable; (ii) three of these six genes (COMT, DBH, TPH1) are involved in DA or serotonin metabolism, biosynthesis and/or neurotransmission; and (iii) five of these six genes (AR, BDNF, COMT, DBH, NOS1) have been implicated in the development, onset and/or propagation of schizophrenia. The magnitude of the expression of genes implicated in aggressive behavior appears to be more pronounced in the later stages of AD when compared to MCI. These recent genetic data further indicate that the extent of cognitive impairment may have some bearing on the degree of aggression which accompanies the AD phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter J Lukiw
- Louisiana State University (LSU) Neuroscience Center, Louisiana State University Health Science CenterNew Orleans, LA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University Health Science CenterNew Orleans, LA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Science CenterNew Orleans, LA, USA.,Bollinger Professor of Alzheimer's disease (AD), Louisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Evgeny I Rogaev
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia.,Center for Brain Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of SciencesNovosibirsk, Russia.,Department of Psychiatry, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcester, MA, USA.,School of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityMoscow, Russia
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Regitz-Zagrosek V, Kararigas G. Mechanistic Pathways of Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Disease. Physiol Rev 2017; 97:1-37. [PMID: 27807199 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00021.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 395] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Major differences between men and women exist in epidemiology, manifestation, pathophysiology, treatment, and outcome of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as coronary artery disease, pressure overload, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. Corresponding sex differences have been studied in a number of animal models, and mechanistic investigations have been undertaken to analyze the observed sex differences. We summarize the biological mechanisms of sex differences in CVD focusing on three main areas, i.e., genetic mechanisms, epigenetic mechanisms, as well as sex hormones and their receptors. We discuss relevant subtypes of sex hormone receptors, as well as genomic and nongenomic, activational and organizational effects of sex hormones. We describe the interaction of sex hormones with intracellular signaling relevant for cardiovascular cells and the cardiovascular system. Sex, sex hormones, and their receptors may affect a number of cellular processes by their synergistic action on multiple targets. We discuss in detail sex differences in organelle function and in biological processes. We conclude that there is a need for a more detailed understanding of sex differences and their underlying mechanisms, which holds the potential to design new drugs that target sex-specific cardiovascular mechanisms and affect phenotypes. The comparison of both sexes may lead to the identification of protective or maladaptive mechanisms in one sex that could serve as a novel therapeutic target in one sex or in both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Regitz-Zagrosek
- Institute of Gender in Medicine & Center for Cardiovascular Research, Charite University Hospital, and DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Berlin, Germany
| | - Georgios Kararigas
- Institute of Gender in Medicine & Center for Cardiovascular Research, Charite University Hospital, and DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Berlin, Germany
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49
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Piekarski DJ, Johnson CM, Boivin JR, Thomas AW, Lin WC, Delevich K, M Galarce E, Wilbrecht L. Does puberty mark a transition in sensitive periods for plasticity in the associative neocortex? Brain Res 2017; 1654:123-144. [PMID: 27590721 PMCID: PMC5283387 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2016.08.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Revised: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Postnatal brain development is studded with sensitive periods during which experience dependent plasticity is enhanced. This enables rapid learning from environmental inputs and reorganization of cortical circuits that matches behavior with environmental contingencies. Significant headway has been achieved in characterizing and understanding sensitive period biology in primary sensory cortices, but relatively little is known about sensitive period biology in associative neocortex. One possible mediator is the onset of puberty, which marks the transition to adolescence, when animals shift their behavior toward gaining independence and exploring their social world. Puberty onset correlates with reduced behavioral plasticity in some domains and enhanced plasticity in others, and therefore may drive the transition from juvenile to adolescent brain function. Pubertal onset is also occurring earlier in developed nations, particularly in unserved populations, and earlier puberty is associated with vulnerability for substance use, depression and anxiety. In the present article we review the evidence that supports a causal role for puberty in developmental changes in the function and neurobiology of the associative neocortex. We also propose a model for how pubertal hormones may regulate sensitive period plasticity in associative neocortex. We conclude that the evidence suggests puberty onset may play a causal role in some aspects of associative neocortical development, but that further research that manipulates puberty and measures gonadal hormones is required. We argue that further work of this kind is urgently needed to determine how earlier puberty may negatively impact human health and learning potential. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Adolescent plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Piekarski
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720, USA
| | - Carolyn M Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720, USA
| | - Josiah R Boivin
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco CA 94158, USA
| | - A Wren Thomas
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720, USA
| | - Wan Chen Lin
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720, USA
| | - Kristen Delevich
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720, USA
| | - Ezequiel M Galarce
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720, USA
| | - Linda Wilbrecht
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720, USA.
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50
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Duarte AC, Hrynchak MV, Gonçalves I, Quintela T, Santos CRA. Sex Hormone Decline and Amyloid β Synthesis, Transport and Clearance in the Brain. J Neuroendocrinol 2016; 28. [PMID: 27632792 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Sex hormones (SH) are essential regulators of the central nervous system. The decline in SH levels along with ageing may contribute to compromised neuroprotection and set the grounds for neurodegeneration and cognitive impairments. In Alzheimer's disease, besides other pathological features, there is an imbalance between amyloid β (Aβ) production and clearance, leading to its accumulation in the brain of older subjects. Aβ accumulation is a primary cause for brain inflammation and degeneration, as well as concomitant cognitive decline. There is mounting evidence that SH modulate Aβ production, transport and clearance. Importantly, SH regulate most of the molecules involved in the amyloidogenic pathway, their transport across brain barriers for elimination, and their degradation in the brain interstitial fluid. This review brings together data on the regulation of Aβ production, metabolism, degradation and clearance by SH.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Duarte
- Health Sciences Research Centre - CICS-UBI, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - M V Hrynchak
- Health Sciences Research Centre - CICS-UBI, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - I Gonçalves
- Health Sciences Research Centre - CICS-UBI, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - T Quintela
- Health Sciences Research Centre - CICS-UBI, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - C R A Santos
- Health Sciences Research Centre - CICS-UBI, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
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