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Vetrivel S, Tamburello M, Oßwald A, Zhang R, Khan A, Jung S, Baker JE, Rainey WE, Nowak E, Altieri B, Detomas M, Watts D, Williams TA, Wielockx B, Beuschlein F, Reincke M, Sbiera S, Riester A. PPARG dysregulation as a potential molecular target in adrenal Cushing's syndrome. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1265794. [PMID: 38098864 PMCID: PMC10720662 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1265794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background We performed a transcriptomic analysis of adrenal signaling pathways in various forms of endogenous Cushing's syndrome (CS) to define areas of dysregulated and druggable targets. Methodology Next-generation sequencing was performed on adrenal samples of patients with primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (PBMAH, n=10) and control adrenal samples (n=8). The validation groups included cortisol-producing adenoma (CPA, n=9) and samples from patients undergoing bilateral adrenalectomy for Cushing's disease (BADX-CD, n=8). In vivo findings were further characterized using three adrenocortical cell-lines (NCI-H295R, CU-ACC2, MUC1). Results Pathway mapping based on significant expression patterns identified PPARG (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) pathway as the top hit. Quantitative PCR (QPCR) confirmed that PPARG (l2fc<-1.5) and related genes - FABP4 (l2fc<-5.5), PLIN1 (l2fc<-4.1) and ADIPOQ (l2fc<-3.3) - were significantly downregulated (p<0.005) in PBMAH. Significant downregulation of PPARG was also found in BADX-CD (l2fc<-1.9, p<0.0001) and CPA (l2fc<-1.4, p<0.0001). In vitro studies demonstrated that the PPARG activator rosiglitazone resulted in decreased cell viability in MUC1 and NCI-H295R (p<0.0001). There was also a significant reduction in the production of aldosterone, cortisol, and cortisone in NCI-H295R and in Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in MUC1 (p<0.05), respectively. Outcome This therapeutic effect was independent of the actions of ACTH, postulating a promising application of PPARG activation in endogenous hypercortisolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharmilee Vetrivel
- Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Mariangela Tamburello
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Andrea Oßwald
- Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ru Zhang
- Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ali Khan
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sara Jung
- Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jessica E. Baker
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - William E. Rainey
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Elisabeth Nowak
- Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Barbara Altieri
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mario Detomas
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Deepika Watts
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden (TUD)/Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (UKD), Dresden, Germany
| | - Tracy Ann Williams
- Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ben Wielockx
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden (TUD)/Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (UKD), Dresden, Germany
| | - Felix Beuschlein
- Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital Zurich (USZ) and University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Reincke
- Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Silviu Sbiera
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anna Riester
- Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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Forfar R, Hussain M, Khurana P, Cook J, Lewis S, Popat D, Jackson D, McIver E, Jerman J, Taylor D, Clark AJL, Chan LF. Identification of a novel specific small-molecule melanocortin-2-receptor antagonist. Endocr Connect 2022; 11:e220338. [PMID: 36515667 PMCID: PMC9641778 DOI: 10.1530/ec-22-0338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The overproduction of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), in conditions such as Cushing's disease and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), leads to significant morbidity. Current treatment with glucocorticoids does not adequately suppress plasma ACTH, resulting in excess adrenal androgen production. At present, there is no effective medical treatment in clinical use that would directly block the action of ACTH. Such a therapy would be of great clinical value. ACTH acts via a highly selective receptor, the melanocortin-2 receptor (MC2R) associated with its accessory protein MRAP. ACTH is the only known naturally occurring agonist for this receptor. This lack of redundancy and the high degree of ligand specificity suggest that antagonism of this receptor could provide a useful therapeutic strategy in the treatment of conditions of ACTH excess. To this end, we screened an extensive library of low-molecular-weight drug-like compounds for MC2R antagonist activity using a high-throughput homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence cAMP assay in Chinese hamster ovary cells stably co-expressing human MC2R and MRAP. Hits that demonstrated MC2R antagonist properties were counter-screened against the β2 adrenergic receptor and dose-response analysis undertaken. This led to the identification of a highly specific MC2R antagonist capable of antagonising ACTH-induced progesterone release in murine Y-1 adrenal cells and having selectivity for MC2R amongst the human melanocortin receptors. This work provides a foundation for the clinical investigation of small-molecule ACTH antagonists as therapeutic agents and proof of concept for the screening and discovery of such compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Forfar
- Centre for Therapeutics Discovery, LifeArc, Accelerator Building, Open Innovation Campus, Stevenage, UK
| | - Mashal Hussain
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Puneet Khurana
- Centre for Therapeutics Discovery, LifeArc, Accelerator Building, Open Innovation Campus, Stevenage, UK
| | - Jennifer Cook
- Centre for Therapeutics Discovery, LifeArc, Accelerator Building, Open Innovation Campus, Stevenage, UK
| | - Steve Lewis
- Centre for Therapeutics Discovery, LifeArc, Accelerator Building, Open Innovation Campus, Stevenage, UK
| | - Dillon Popat
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - David Jackson
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Ed McIver
- Centre for Therapeutics Discovery, LifeArc, Accelerator Building, Open Innovation Campus, Stevenage, UK
| | - Jeff Jerman
- Centre for Therapeutics Discovery, LifeArc, Accelerator Building, Open Innovation Campus, Stevenage, UK
| | - Debra Taylor
- Centre for Therapeutics Discovery, LifeArc, Accelerator Building, Open Innovation Campus, Stevenage, UK
| | - Adrian JL Clark
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Li F Chan
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Correspondence should be addressed to L F Chan:
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Abstract
Treatment for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) was introduced in the 1950s following the discovery of the structure and function of adrenocortical hormones. Although major advances in molecular biology have delineated steroidogenic mechanisms and the genetics of CAH, management and treatment of this condition continue to present challenges. Management is complicated by a combination of comorbidities that arise from disease-related hormonal derangements and treatment-related adverse effects. The clinical outcomes of CAH can include life-threatening adrenal crises, altered growth and early puberty, and adverse effects on metabolic, cardiovascular, bone and reproductive health. Standard-of-care glucocorticoid formulations fall short of replicating the circadian rhythm of cortisol and controlling efficient adrenocorticotrophic hormone-driven adrenal androgen production. Adrenal-derived 11-oxygenated androgens have emerged as potential new biomarkers for CAH, as traditional biomarkers are subject to variability and are not adrenal-specific, contributing to management challenges. Multiple alternative treatment approaches are being developed with the aim of tailoring therapy for improved patient outcomes. This Review focuses on challenges and advances in the management and treatment of CAH due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency, the most common type of CAH. Furthermore, we examine new therapeutic developments, including treatments designed to replace cortisol in a physiological manner and adjunct agents intended to control excess androgens and thereby enable reductions in glucocorticoid doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwini Mallappa
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Deborah P Merke
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA.
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Abstract
Patients with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) need life-long medical treatment to replace the lacking glucocorticoids and potentially lacking mineralocorticoids and to lower elevated adrenal androgens. Long-term complications are common, including gonadal dysfunction, infertility, and cardiovascular and metabolic co-morbidity with reduced quality of life. These complications can be attributed to the exposure of supraphysiological dosages of glucocorticoids and the longstanding exposure to elevated adrenal androgens. Development of novel therapies is necessary to address the chronic glucocorticoid overexposure, lack of circadian rhythm in glucocorticoid replacement, and inefficient glucocorticoid delivery with concomitant periods of hyperandrogenism. In this review we aim to give an overview about the current treatment regimens and its limitations and describe novel therapies especially evaluated for 21OHD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariska A M Schröder
- Department of Pediatrics, Amalia Childrens Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Claahsen - van der Grinten HL, Speiser PW, Ahmed SF, Arlt W, Auchus RJ, Falhammar H, Flück CE, Guasti L, Huebner A, Kortmann BBM, Krone N, Merke DP, Miller WL, Nordenström A, Reisch N, Sandberg DE, Stikkelbroeck NMML, Touraine P, Utari A, Wudy SA, White PC. Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia-Current Insights in Pathophysiology, Diagnostics, and Management. Endocr Rev 2022; 43:91-159. [PMID: 33961029 PMCID: PMC8755999 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnab016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a group of autosomal recessive disorders affecting cortisol biosynthesis. Reduced activity of an enzyme required for cortisol production leads to chronic overstimulation of the adrenal cortex and accumulation of precursors proximal to the blocked enzymatic step. The most common form of CAH is caused by steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency due to mutations in CYP21A2. Since the last publication summarizing CAH in Endocrine Reviews in 2000, there have been numerous new developments. These include more detailed understanding of steroidogenic pathways, refinements in neonatal screening, improved diagnostic measurements utilizing chromatography and mass spectrometry coupled with steroid profiling, and improved genotyping methods. Clinical trials of alternative medications and modes of delivery have been recently completed or are under way. Genetic and cell-based treatments are being explored. A large body of data concerning long-term outcomes in patients affected by CAH, including psychosexual well-being, has been enhanced by the establishment of disease registries. This review provides the reader with current insights in CAH with special attention to these new developments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Phyllis W Speiser
- Cohen Children’s Medical Center of NY, Feinstein Institute, Northwell Health, Zucker School of Medicine, New Hyde Park, NY 11040, USA
| | - S Faisal Ahmed
- Developmental Endocrinology Research Group, School of Medicine Dentistry & Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Wiebke Arlt
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research (IMSR), College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Department of Endocrinology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Richard J Auchus
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Henrik Falhammar
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Intitutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christa E Flück
- Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Leonardo Guasti
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Bart’s and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Angela Huebner
- Division of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Department of Paediatrics, Universitätsklinikum Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Barbara B M Kortmann
- Radboud University Medical Centre, Amalia Childrens Hospital, Department of Pediatric Urology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nils Krone
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Deborah P Merke
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Walter L Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Reproductive Sciences, and Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Anna Nordenström
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Pediatric Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nicole Reisch
- Medizinische Klinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - David E Sandberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Philippe Touraine
- Department of Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Center for Rare Endocrine Diseases of Growth and Development, Center for Rare Gynecological Diseases, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne University Medicine, Paris, France
| | - Agustini Utari
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
| | - Stefan A Wudy
- Steroid Research & Mass Spectrometry Unit, Laboratory of Translational Hormone Analytics, Division of Paediatric Endocrinology & Diabetology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Perrin C White
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX 75390, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency congenital adrenal hyperplasia (21OHD-CAH) have poor health outcomes with increased mortality, short stature, impaired fertility, and increased cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity. To address this, there are therapies in development that target the clinical goal of treatment, which is to control excess androgens with an adrenal replacement dose of glucocorticoid. METHODS Narrative review of publications on recent clinical developments in the pharmacotherapy of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. SUMMARY Therapies in clinical development target different levels of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. Two corticotrophin-releasing factor type 1 (CRF1) receptor antagonists, Crinecerfont and Tildacerfont, have been trialled in poorly controlled 21OHD-CAH patients, and both reduced ACTH and androgen biomarkers while patients were on stable glucocorticoid replacement. Improvements in glucocorticoid replacement include replacing the circadian rhythm of cortisol that has been trialled with continuous s.c. infusion of hydrocortisone and Chronocort, a delayed-release hydrocortisone formulation. Chronocort optimally controlled 21OHD-CAH in 80% of patients on an adrenal replacement dose of hydrocortisone, which was associated with patient-reported benefits including restoration of menses and pregnancies. Adrenal-targeted therapies include the steroidogenesis-blocking drug Abiraterone acetate, which reduced adrenal androgen biomarkers in poorly controlled patients. CONCLUSIONS CRF1 receptor antagonists hold promise to avoid excess glucocorticoid replacement in patients not controlled on standard or circadian glucocorticoid replacement such as Chronocort. Gene and cell therapies are the only therapeutic approaches that could potentially correct both cortisol deficiency and androgen excess.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Prete
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Department of Endocrinology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Richard J Auchus
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Richard J Ross
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Correspondence should be addressed to R J Ross;
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Abstract
The adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) receptor, known as the melanocortin-2 receptor (MC2R), plays a key role in regulating adrenocortical function. ACTH receptor is a subtype of the melanocortin receptor family which is a member of the G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily. ACTH receptor has unique characteristics among MCRs. α-MSH, β-MSH, γ-MSH and ACTH are agonists for MCRs but only ACTH is the agonist for ACTH receptor. In addition, the melanocortin receptor accessory protein (MRAP) is required for ACTH receptor expression at cell surface and function. In this review, we summarized the information available on the relationship between ACTH and ACTH receptor and provide the latest understanding of the molecular basis of the ACTH receptor responsible for ligand selectivity and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingkui Yang
- Department of Surgery, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA.
| | - Carroll M Harmon
- Department of Surgery, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA
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