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Kempińska-Podhorodecka A, Abramczyk J, Cielica E, Huła B, Maciejowska H, Banales J, Milkiewicz P, Milkiewicz M. Effect of Low Testosterone Levels on the Expression of Proliferator-Activated Receptor Alpha in Female Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis. Cells 2023; 12:2273. [PMID: 37759496 PMCID: PMC10526765 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182273] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex-dependent patterns in chronic immune-mediated cholangiopathies, like primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), remain poorly understood. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α), expressed in immune cells, plays a key role in innate defence. In this study, the relationship between PPAR-α expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), serum androgen levels, IFNγ production, and sex-dependent tendencies during the development of PBC and PSC was investigated. We confirmed that normal cholangiocytes respond to PPAR-α and inhibit the lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of IL-6, IL-1b, and TNFα. Compared with PSC patients, PPAR-α was downregulated, while IFNγ was upregulated, in the PBMCs of PBC patients. When the analysis was conducted on females only, there was no difference in PPAR-α, but IFNγ was elevated in females with PBC compared with those with PSC. Serum testosterone concentrations in females with PBC were below the normal range (regardless of age) and correlated positively with PPAR-α and negatively with IFNγ. While PPAR-α has been reported to be a target of miR-155 and miR-21, no correlations with these microRNAs were observed in the PBMCs. However, a positive correlation between miR-21 and IFNγ was observed. Our results showed suppressed PPAR-α expression accompanied by reduced testosterone levels in women with PBC, which should elicit interest in the role of testosterone in PBC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Kempińska-Podhorodecka
- Department of Medical Biology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (A.K.-P.); (J.A.); (E.C.); (B.H.); (H.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Joanna Abramczyk
- Department of Medical Biology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (A.K.-P.); (J.A.); (E.C.); (B.H.); (H.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Eliza Cielica
- Department of Medical Biology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (A.K.-P.); (J.A.); (E.C.); (B.H.); (H.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Bartosz Huła
- Department of Medical Biology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (A.K.-P.); (J.A.); (E.C.); (B.H.); (H.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Hanna Maciejowska
- Department of Medical Biology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (A.K.-P.); (J.A.); (E.C.); (B.H.); (H.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Jesus Banales
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), CIBERehd, Ikerbasque, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain;
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Science, University of Navarra, 31009 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Piotr Milkiewicz
- Liver and Internal Medicine Unit, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Milkiewicz
- Department of Medical Biology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (A.K.-P.); (J.A.); (E.C.); (B.H.); (H.M.); (M.M.)
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DHEA and Its Metabolites Reduce the Cytokines Involved in the Inflammatory Response and Fibrosis in Primary Biliary Cholangitis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065301. [PMID: 36982376 PMCID: PMC10049419 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is an abundant steroid and precursor of sex hormones. During aging, the reduction in DHEA synthesis causes a significant depletion of estrogens and androgens in different organs, such as the ovaries, brain, and liver. Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) is a cholestatic liver disease that begins with immune-mediated bile duct damage, and is followed by liver fibrosis, and finally, cirrhosis. PBC primarily affects postmenopausal women, with an average age of diagnosis of 65 years, but younger women are also affected. Here, we analyzed the levels of DHEA, estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3) in the PBC sera of females at an age of diagnosis under 40 (n = 37) and above 65 (n = 29). Our results indicate that in PBC patients at an age of diagnosis under 40, E2 was significantly lower compared to that in healthy women. In contrast, the levels of DHEA and E3 were in a normal range. Furthermore, ELISA assays revealed that in PBC patients at an age of diagnosis above 65, the levels of DHEA, E2, and E3 significantly declined in comparison to those in younger patients. In addition, flow cytometry analysis showed that the level of IL-8 significantly decreased while the level of TNF-α increased in older PBC patients compared to younger ones. Moreover, we showed for the first time that the sulfonated form of DHEA, DHEA-S, reduces the levels of both pro-inflammatory interleukins, IL-8 and TNF-α, in PBC-like cholangiocytes (H69-miR506), while it diminishes the level of the pro-fibrotic interleukin, IL-13, in hepatocytes (Hep-G2). Finally, we demonstrated that the expression of the pro-fibrotic agent TGF-β significantly increased in both the early (F0–F3) and cirrhotic (F4) stages of PBC, and this elevation was accompanied by higher α-SMA expression.
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Li Y, Zhang D, Mo Y, Zeng T, Wu T, Liu L, Zhang H, Chen C. Simultaneous determination of sex hormones and bile acids in rat plasma using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2023; 223:115139. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2022.115139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Li T, Zhang T, Wang H, Zhang Q, Gao H, Liu R, Yin C. The ADMA-DDAH1 axis in ovarian apoptosis of polycystic ovary syndrome. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 225:106180. [PMID: 36243205 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2022.106180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 (DDAH1) mainly degrades asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. Emerging evidence suggested that plasma ADMA is accumulated in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, ADMA-DDAH1 involvement in PCOS pathogenesis is unclear. Here, we used dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-induced PCOS rats and the ovarian granulosa cell line KGN to investigate the effect of the ADMA-DDAH1 pathway on ovarian apoptosis. Moreover, we also quantified the ADMA levels and redox status in human serum specimens, Sprague Dawley rats and KGN cells to investigate the effect of ADMA-DDAH1 on redox status and ovarian apoptosis in PCOS. We enrolled 19 women with PCOS and 17 healthy women (controls) in this study. The women with PCOS had increased serum ADMA levels and decreased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) compared with the controls. In Sprague Dawley rats, 21-day DHEA treatment established PCOS and the rat contained higher ADMA levels in serum and lower DDAH1 expression in ovaries. Moreover, the PCOS rat serum and ovaries exhibited increased levels of the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA). ADMA treatment of the KGN cells induced reactive oxygen species accumulation and led to apoptosis. Contrastingly, overexpressing DDAH1 in the KGN cells significantly decreased ADMA levels, enhanced cell viability, and inhibited oxidative stress, while the effect was inverse in DDAH1 knockdown cells. Overall, our results demonstrated that PCOS involves elevated ADMA levels and redox imbalance. The ADMA-DDAH1 pathway exerted a marked effect on oxidative stress and ovarian apoptosis in PCOS. Our findings suggested that strategies for increasing DDAH1 activity in ovarian cells may provide a novel approach for ameliorating PCOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhe Li
- Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Huanhuan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qiaoli Zhang
- Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Huimin Gao
- Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Ruixia Liu
- Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Chenghong Yin
- Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, 100026, China.
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Clark BJ, Klinge CM. Structure-function of DHEA binding proteins. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2022; 123:587-617. [PMID: 37717999 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Dehydroepiandrosterone (3β-hydroxy-5-androsten-17-one, DHEA) and its sulfated metabolite DHEA-S are the most abundant circulating steroids and are precursors for active sex steroid hormones, estradiol and testosterone. DHEA has a broad range of reported effects in the central nervous system (CNS), cardiovascular system, adipose tissue, kidney, liver, and in the reproductive system. The mechanisms by which DHEA and DHEA-S initiate their biological effects are diverse. DHEA and DHEA-S may directly bind to plasma membrane (PM) receptors, including a DHEA-specific, G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) in endothelial cells; various neuroreceptors, e.g., aminobutyric-acid-type A (GABA(A)), N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and sigma-1 (S1R) receptors (NMDAR and SIG-1R). DHEA and DHEA-S directly bind the nuclear androgen and estrogen receptors (AR, ERα, or ERβ) although with significantly lower binding affinities compared to the steroid hormones, e.g., testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and estradiol, which are the cognate ligands for AR and ERs. Thus, extra-gonadal metabolism of DHEA to the sex hormones must be considered for many of the biological benefits of DHEA. DHEA also actives GPER1 (G protein coupled estrogen receptor 1). DHEA activates constitutive androstane receptor CAR (CAR) and proliferator activated receptor (PPARα) by indirect dephosphorylation. DHEA affects voltage-gated sodium and calcium ion channels and DHEA-2 activates TRPM3 (Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel Subfamily M Member 3). This chapter updates our previous 2018 review pertaining to the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of DHEA and DHEA-S activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara J Clark
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, Center for Integrative Environmental Health Sciences (CIEHS), University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Carolyn M Klinge
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, Center for Integrative Environmental Health Sciences (CIEHS), University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, United States.
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Suppression of Hepatic PPARα in Primary Biliary Cholangitis Is Modulated by miR-155. Cells 2022; 11:cells11182880. [PMID: 36139455 PMCID: PMC9496720 DOI: 10.3390/cells11182880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: PPARα is a ligand-activated transcription factor that shows protective effects against metabolic disorders, inflammation and apoptosis. Primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis result in the intrahepatic accumulation of bile acids that leads to liver dysfunction and damage. Small, non-coding RNAs such as miR-155 and miR-21 are associated with silencing PPARα. Methods: The expression of miR-155, miR-21 and PPARα were evaluated using real-time PCR on liver tissue, as well as on human hepatocytes (HepG2) or cholangiocytes (NHCs) following exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), glycodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA), lithocholic acid (LCA) and/or ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). Results: A reduction of PPARα in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) livers was associated with miR-21 and miR-155 upregulation. Experimental overexpression of either miR-155 or miR-21 inhibited PPARα in hepatocytes, whereas, in cholangiocytes, only miR-21 suppressed PPARα. Both GCDCA and LCA induced the cell type-specific upregulation of miR-155 or miR-21. In HepG2, LPS-induced miR-155 expression was blocked by a cotreatment with UDCA and was associated with PPARα upregulation. In NHC cells, the expression of miR-21 was induced by LPS but did not affect PPARα expression. Conclusions: Hepatic PPARα expression is reduced in PBC livers as a likely result of miR-155 overexpression. UDCA effectively reduced both baseline and LPS-induced miR-155 expression, thus preventing the suppression of PPARα.
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