Androgen Receptor Regulates the Growth of Neuroblastoma Cells in vitro and in vivo

Adipose-derived stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles inhibit neuroblastoma growth by regulating GABBR1 activity through LINC00622-mediated transcription factor AR

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a huge threat to children's health. Adipose-derived stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles (ADSC-Evs) can regulate tumor progression. This study aimed to identify the role of ADSC-Evs in NB. Following ADSC-Ev isolation and identification, PKH26-labeled ADSC-Evs were cocultured with NB cells to observe the internalization of ADSC-Evs. ADSC-Ev effects on NB cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were assessed. The regulatory molecules related to NB development were predicted. The expressions of and relations among LINC00622, transcriptional factor androgen receptor (AR), and gamma-aminobutyric acid B-type receptor 1 (GABRR1) were detected and verified. LINC00622 was inhibited in ADSCs to evaluate ADSC-Ev effects on NB cells. Xenograft tumor experiment in nude mice was further performed to evaluate the effects of ADSC-Evs-carried LINC00622 on NB in vivo. ADSC-Evs inhibited NB cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. ADSC-Evs increased GABBR1 expression in NB cells. ADSC-Evs-carried LINC00622 mediated AR to promote GABBR1 expression. Silencing LINC00622 in ADSCs weakened the inhibition of ADSC-Evs on NB cell malignant behaviors. ADSC-Evs reduced tumor growth in nude mice, which was restored after inhibiting LINC00622 expression in ADSCs. We highlighted that ADSC-Evs carried LINC00622 into NB cells to inhibit transcription factor AR and promote GABBR1 expression, thus inhibiting NB cell growth.

Synergistic Effect of Statins and Abiraterone Acetate on the Growth Inhibition of Neuroblastoma via Targeting Androgen Receptor

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial neuroendocrine tumor in childhood. Although many studies have tried to find effective treatments, there are still numerous limitations in current clinical targeted therapy. So, it is important to find new therapeutic targets and strategies from a new perspective. Our previous study reported that the androgen receptor (AR) promotes the growth of neuroblastoma in vitro and in vivo. Based on documentary investigation, we postulated that the AR–SCAP–SREBPs-CYP17/HMGCR axis may regulate cholesterol and androgens synthesis and form a positive enhancement loop promoting NB progression. Clinical samples and Oncomine database analysis proved the activation of AR–SCAP–SREBPs-CYP17/HMGCR axis in neuroblastoma. The combination of inhibitors of HMGCR (statins) and CYP17A1 (abiraterone acetate) showed synergistic effect that significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration with decreased expression of related genes detected in vitro and in vivo suggesting the dual-targeted therapy had the potential to inhibit the progression of neuroblastoma in spite of its MYCN status. This study provides new ideas for clinical treatment of neuroblastoma with efficacy and reduced toxicity.

Sex Hormones Regulate SHANK Expression

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have a higher prevalence in male individuals compared to females, with a ratio of affected boys compared to girls of 4:1 for ASD and 11:1 for Asperger syndrome. Mutations in the SHANK genes (comprising SHANK1, SHANK2 and SHANK3) coding for postsynaptic scaffolding proteins have been tightly associated with ASD. As early brain development is strongly influenced by sex hormones, we investigated the effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 17β-estradiol on SHANK expression in a human neuroblastoma cell model. Both sex hormones had a significant impact on the expression of all three SHANK genes, which could be effectively blocked by androgen and estrogen receptor antagonists. In neuron-specific androgen receptor knock-out mice (Ar^NesCre), we found a nominal significant reduction of all Shank genes at postnatal day 7.5 in the cortex. In the developing cortex of wild-type (WT) CD1 mice, a sex-differential protein expression was identified for all Shanks at embryonic day 17.5 and postnatal day 7.5 with significantly higher protein levels in male compared to female mice. Together, we could show that SHANK expression is influenced by sex hormones leading to a sex-differential expression, thus providing novel insights into the sex bias in ASD.