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Fukumoto T, Umakoshi H, Iwahashi N, Ogasawara T, Yokomoto-Umakoshi M, Kaneko H, Fujita M, Uchida N, Nakao H, Kawamura N, Matsuda Y, Sakamoto R, Miyazawa T, Seki M, Eto M, Oda Y, Suzuki Y, Ogawa S, Ogawa Y. Steroids-producing nodules: a two-layered adrenocortical nodular structure as a precursor lesion of cortisol-producing adenoma. EBioMedicine 2024:105087. [PMID: 38570222 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105087] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The human adrenal cortex consists of three functionally and structurally distinct layers; zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata (zF), and zona reticularis (zR), and produces adrenal steroid hormones in a layer-specific manner; aldosterone, cortisol, and adrenal androgens, respectively. Cortisol-producing adenomas (CPAs) occur mostly as a result of somatic mutations associated with the protein kinase A pathway. However, how CPAs develop after adrenocortical cells acquire genetic mutations, remains poorly understood. METHODS We conducted integrated approaches combining the detailed histopathologic studies with genetic, RNA-sequencing, and spatially resolved transcriptome (SRT) analyses for the adrenal cortices adjacent to human adrenocortical tumours. FINDINGS Histopathological analysis revealed an adrenocortical nodular structure that exhibits the two-layered zF- and zR-like structure. The nodular structures harbour GNAS somatic mutations, known as a driver mutation of CPAs, and confer cell proliferative and autonomous steroidogenic capacities, which we termed steroids-producing nodules (SPNs). RNA-sequencing coupled with SRT analysis suggests that the expansion of the zF-like structure contributes to the formation of CPAs, whereas the zR-like structure is characterised by a macrophage-mediated immune response. INTERPRETATION We postulate that CPAs arise from a precursor lesion, SPNs, where two distinct cell populations might contribute differently to adrenocortical tumorigenesis. Our data also provide clues to the molecular mechanisms underlying the layered structures of human adrenocortical tissues. FUNDING KAKENHI, The Uehara Memorial Foundation, Daiwa Securities Health Foundation, Kaibara Morikazu Medical Science Promotion Foundation, Secom Science and Technology Foundation, ONO Medical Research Foundation, and Japan Foundation for Applied Enzymology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tazuru Fukumoto
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hironobu Umakoshi
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
| | - Norifusa Iwahashi
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Tatsuki Ogasawara
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Maki Yokomoto-Umakoshi
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kaneko
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Masamichi Fujita
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Naohiro Uchida
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nakao
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Namiko Kawamura
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yayoi Matsuda
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takashi Miyazawa
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Masahide Seki
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Eto
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshinao Oda
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yutaka Suzuki
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Seishi Ogawa
- Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Ogawa
- Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
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Burke M, Wong K, Talyansky Y, Mhatre SD, Mitchell C, Juran CM, Olson M, Iyer J, Puukila S, Tahimic CGT, Christenson LK, Lowe M, Rubinstein L, Shirazi-Fard Y, Sowa MB, Alwood JS, Ronca AE, Paul AM. Sexual dimorphism during integrative endocrine and immune responses to ionizing radiation in mice. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7334. [PMID: 38409284 PMCID: PMC10897391 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33629-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure to cosmic ionizing radiation is an innate risk of the spaceflight environment that can cause DNA damage and altered cellular function. In astronauts, longitudinal monitoring of physiological systems and interactions between these systems are important to consider for mitigation strategies. In addition, assessments of sex-specific biological responses in the unique environment of spaceflight are vital to support future exploration missions that include both females and males. Here we assessed sex-specific, multi-system immune and endocrine responses to simulated cosmic radiation. For this, 24-week-old, male and female C57Bl/6J mice were exposed to simplified five-ion, space-relevant galactic cosmic ray (GCRsim) radiation at 15 and 50 cGy, to simulate predicted radiation exposures that would be experienced during lunar and Martian missions, respectively. Blood and adrenal tissues were collected at 3- and 14-days post-irradiation for analysis of immune and endocrine biosignatures and pathways. Sexually dimorphic adrenal gland weights and morphology, differential total RNA expression with corresponding gene ontology, and unique immune phenotypes were altered by GCRsim. In brief, this study offers new insights into sexually dimorphic immune and endocrine kinetics following simulated cosmic radiation exposure and highlights the necessity for personalized translational approaches for astronauts during exploration missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Burke
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, 32114, USA
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics, and Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Kelly Wong
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Yuli Talyansky
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Siddhita D Mhatre
- KBR, Houston, TX, 77002, USA
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Carol Mitchell
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, 32114, USA
| | - Cassandra M Juran
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, 32114, USA
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
| | - Makaila Olson
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, 32114, USA
| | - Janani Iyer
- KBR, Houston, TX, 77002, USA
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Universities Space Research Association, Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA
| | - Stephanie Puukila
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Candice G T Tahimic
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Lane K Christenson
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Moniece Lowe
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Linda Rubinstein
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
- Universities Space Research Association, Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA
- The Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center, Sheba Research Hospital, Ramat Gan 52621, Israel
| | - Yasaman Shirazi-Fard
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Marianne B Sowa
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Joshua S Alwood
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - April E Ronca
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA.
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Wake Forest Medical School, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Amber M Paul
- Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, 32114, USA.
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA.
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA.
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3
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Bechmann N, Moskopp ML, Constantinescu G, Stell A, Ernst A, Berthold F, Westermann F, Jiang J, Lui L, Nowak E, Zopp S, Pacak K, Peitzsch M, Schedl A, Reincke M, Beuschlein F, Bornstein SR, Fassnacht M, Eisenhofer G. Asymmetric Adrenals: Sexual Dimorphism of Adrenal Tumors. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2024; 109:471-482. [PMID: 37647861 PMCID: PMC11032253 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgad515] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Sexual dimorphism has direct consequences on the incidence and survival of cancer. Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial to improve prognosis. OBJECTIVE This work aimed to characterized the influence of sex and adrenal asymmetry on the emergence of adrenal tumors. METHODS We conducted a multicenter, observational study involving 8037 patients with adrenal tumors, including adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA), cortisol-secreting adrenocortical adenomas (CSAs), non-aldosterone-producing adrenal cortical adenoma (NAPACA), pheochromocytoma (PCC), and neuroblastoma (NB), and investigated tumor lateralization according to sex. Human adrenal tissues (n = 20) were analyzed with a multiomics approach that allows determination of gene expression, catecholamine, and steroid contents in a single sample. In addition, we performed a literature review of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging-based studies examining adrenal gland size. RESULTS ACC (n = 1858); CSA (n = 68), NAPACA (n = 2174), and PCC (n = 1824) were more common in females than in males (female-to-male ratio: 1.1:1-3.8:1), whereas NBs (n = 2320) and APAs (n = 228) were less prevalent in females (0.8:1). ACC, APA, CSA, NAPACA, and NB occurred more frequently in the left than in the right adrenal (left-to-right ratio: 1.1:1-1.8:1), whereas PCC arose more often in the right than in the left adrenal (0.8:1). In both sexes, the left adrenal was larger than the right adrenal; females have smaller adrenals than males. CONCLUSION Adrenal asymmetry in both sexes may be related to the pathogenesis of adrenal tumors and should be considered during the diagnosis of these tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Bechmann
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Mats Leif Moskopp
- Department of Neurosurgery, Vivantes Friedrichshain Hospital, Charité Academic Teaching Hospital, 10249 Berlin, Germany
| | - Georgiana Constantinescu
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Anthony Stell
- School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne, 3052 Melbourne, Australia
| | - Angela Ernst
- Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Frank Berthold
- Children's Hospital, University of Cologne, 50735 Cologne, Germany
| | - Frank Westermann
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jingjing Jiang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital, 200031 Shanghai, China
| | - Longfei Lui
- Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410017 Changsha, China
| | - Elisabeth Nowak
- Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Stephanie Zopp
- Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Karel Pacak
- Section on Medical Neuroendocrinology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mirko Peitzsch
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Schedl
- Université Côte d’Azur, Inserm, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Valrose, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Martin Reincke
- Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Felix Beuschlein
- Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital Zurich (USZ) and University of Zurich (UZH), 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan R Bornstein
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Martin Fassnacht
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Würzburg, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Graeme Eisenhofer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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4
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Wei JB, Zeng XC, Ji KR, Zhang LY, Chen XM. Identification of Key Genes and Related Drugs of Adrenocortical Carcinoma by Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis. Horm Metab Res 2023. [PMID: 38109896 DOI: 10.1055/a-2209-0771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant carcinoma with an extremely poor prognosis, and its pathogenesis remains to be understood to date, necessitating further investigation. This study aims to discover biomarkers and potential therapeutic agents for ACC through bioinformatics, enhancing clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ACC and normal adrenal cortex were screened out from the GSE19750 and GSE90713 datasets available in the GEO database. An online Venn diagram tool was utilized to identify the common DEGs between the two datasets. The identified DEGs were subjected to functional assessment, pathway enrichment, and identification of hub genes by performing the protein-protein interaction (PPI), Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. The differences in the expressions of hub genes between ACC and normal adrenal cortex were validated at the GEPIA2 website, and the association of these genes with the overall patient survival was also assessed. Finally, on the QuartataWeb website, drugs related to the identified hub genes were determined. A total of 114 DEGs, 10 hub genes, and 69 known drugs that could interact with these genes were identified. The GO and KEGG analyses revealed a close association of the identified DEGs with cellular signal transduction. The 10 hub genes identified were overexpressed in ACC, in addition to being significantly associated with adverse prognosis in ACC. Three genes and the associated known drugs were identified as potential targets for ACC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Bin Wei
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Chun Zeng
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Kui-Rong Ji
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ling-Yi Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiao-Min Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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5
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Abstract
Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare malignancy with an annual worldwide incidence of 1-2 cases per 1 million and a 5-year survival rate of <60%. Although adrenocortical carcinoma is rare, such rare cancers account for approximately one third of patients diagnosed with cancer annually. In the past decade, there have been considerable advances in understanding the molecular basis of adrenocortical carcinoma. The genetic events associated with adrenocortical carcinoma in adults are distinct from those of paediatric cases, which are often associated with germline or somatic TP53 mutations and have a better prognosis. In adult primary adrenocortical carcinoma, the main somatic genetic alterations occur in genes that encode proteins involved in the WNT-β-catenin pathway, cell cycle and p53 apoptosis pathway, chromatin remodelling and telomere maintenance pathway, cAMP-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway or DNA transcription and RNA translation pathways. Recently, integrated molecular studies of adrenocortical carcinomas, which have characterized somatic mutations and the methylome as well as gene and microRNA expression profiles, have led to a molecular classification of these tumours that can predict prognosis and have helped to identify new therapeutic targets. In this Review, we summarize these recent translational research advances in adrenocortical carcinoma, which it is hoped could lead to improved patient diagnosis, treatment and outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiangnan Hu
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Electron Kebebew
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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6
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Warde KM, Smith LJ, Basham KJ. Age-related Changes in the Adrenal Cortex: Insights and Implications. J Endocr Soc 2023; 7:bvad097. [PMID: 37564884 PMCID: PMC10410302 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvad097] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is characterized by a gradual decline in physiological function. This process affects all organs including the adrenal cortex, which normally functions to produce essential steroid hormones including mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and androgens. With increasing age, features such as reduced adrenal cortex size, altered zonation, and increased myeloid immune cell infiltration substantially alter the structure and function of the adrenal cortex. Many of these hallmark features of adrenal cortex aging occur both in males and females, yet are more enhanced in males. Hormonally, a substantial reduction in adrenal androgens is a key feature of aging, which is accompanied by modest changes in aldosterone and cortisol. These hormonal changes are associated with various pathological consequences including impaired immune responses, decreased bone health, and accelerated age-related diseases. One of the most notable changes with adrenal aging is the increased incidence of adrenal tumors, which is sex dimorphic with a higher prevalence in females. Increased adrenal tumorigenesis with age is likely driven by both an increase in genetic mutations as well as remodeling of the tissue microenvironment. Novel antiaging strategies offer a promising avenue to mitigate adrenal aging and alleviate age-associated pathologies, including adrenal tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M Warde
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Lorenzo J Smith
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Kaitlin J Basham
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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7
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Mohan DR, Borges KS, Finco I, LaPensee CR, Rege J, Solon AL, Little DW, Else T, Almeida MQ, Dang D, Haggerty-Skeans J, Apfelbaum AA, Vinco M, Wakamatsu A, Mariani BMP, Amorim LC, Latronico AC, Mendonca BB, Zerbini MCN, Lawlor ER, Ohi R, Auchus RJ, Rainey WE, Marie SKN, Giordano TJ, Venneti S, Fragoso MCBV, Breault DT, Lerario AM, Hammer GD. β-Catenin-Driven Differentiation Is a Tissue-Specific Epigenetic Vulnerability in Adrenal Cancer. Cancer Res 2023; 83:2123-2141. [PMID: 37129912 PMCID: PMC10330305 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare cancer in which tissue-specific differentiation is paradoxically associated with dismal outcomes. The differentiated ACC subtype CIMP-high is prevalent, incurable, and routinely fatal. CIMP-high ACC possess abnormal DNA methylation and frequent β-catenin-activating mutations. Here, we demonstrated that ACC differentiation is maintained by a balance between nuclear, tissue-specific β-catenin-containing complexes, and the epigenome. On chromatin, β-catenin bound master adrenal transcription factor SF1 and hijacked the adrenocortical super-enhancer landscape to maintain differentiation in CIMP-high ACC; off chromatin, β-catenin bound histone methyltransferase EZH2. SF1/β-catenin and EZH2/β-catenin complexes present in normal adrenals persisted through all phases of ACC evolution. Pharmacologic EZH2 inhibition in CIMP-high ACC expelled SF1/β-catenin from chromatin and favored EZH2/β-catenin assembly, erasing differentiation and restraining cancer growth in vitro and in vivo. These studies illustrate how tissue-specific programs shape oncogene selection, surreptitiously encoding targetable therapeutic vulnerabilities. SIGNIFICANCE Oncogenic β-catenin can use tissue-specific partners to regulate cellular differentiation programs that can be reversed by epigenetic therapies, identifying epigenetic control of differentiation as a viable target for β-catenin-driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipika R. Mohan
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Doctoral Program in Cancer Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kleiton S. Borges
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Isabella Finco
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christopher R. LaPensee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Juilee Rege
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - April L. Solon
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Donald W. Little
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Tobias Else
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Madson Q. Almeida
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Disciplina de Endocrinologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (ICESP), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Derek Dang
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Laboratory of Brain Tumor Metabolism and Epigenetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - James Haggerty-Skeans
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Laboratory of Brain Tumor Metabolism and Epigenetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - April A. Apfelbaum
- Doctoral Program in Cancer Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michelle Vinco
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alda Wakamatsu
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Beatriz M. P. Mariani
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Disciplina de Endocrinologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Larissa Costa Amorim
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Disciplina de Endocrinologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (ICESP), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Claudia Latronico
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Disciplina de Endocrinologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Berenice B. Mendonca
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Disciplina de Endocrinologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Elizabeth R. Lawlor
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ryoma Ohi
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Richard J. Auchus
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - William E. Rainey
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Suely K. N. Marie
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Celular/LIM15, Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Thomas J. Giordano
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center Endocrine Oncology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sriram Venneti
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Laboratory of Brain Tumor Metabolism and Epigenetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Maria Candida Barisson Villares Fragoso
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Disciplina de Endocrinologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (ICESP), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - David T. Breault
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antonio Marcondes Lerario
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Co-senior authors
| | - Gary D. Hammer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center Endocrine Oncology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Co-senior authors
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8
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Warde KM, Smith LJ, Liu L, Stubben CJ, Lohman BK, Willett PW, Ammer JL, Castaneda-Hernandez G, Imodoye SO, Zhang C, Jones KD, Converso-Baran K, Ekiz HA, Barry M, Clay MR, Kiseljak-Vassiliades K, Giordano TJ, Hammer GD, Basham KJ. Senescence-induced immune remodeling facilitates metastatic adrenal cancer in a sex-dimorphic manner. Nat Aging 2023; 3:846-865. [PMID: 37231196 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00420-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Aging markedly increases cancer risk, yet our mechanistic understanding of how aging influences cancer initiation is limited. Here we demonstrate that the loss of ZNRF3, an inhibitor of Wnt signaling that is frequently mutated in adrenocortical carcinoma, leads to the induction of cellular senescence that remodels the tissue microenvironment and ultimately permits metastatic adrenal cancer in old animals. The effects are sexually dimorphic, with males exhibiting earlier senescence activation and a greater innate immune response, driven in part by androgens, resulting in high myeloid cell accumulation and lower incidence of malignancy. Conversely, females present a dampened immune response and increased susceptibility to metastatic cancer. Senescence-recruited myeloid cells become depleted as tumors progress, which is recapitulated in patients in whom a low myeloid signature is associated with worse outcomes. Our study uncovers a role for myeloid cells in restraining adrenal cancer with substantial prognostic value and provides a model for interrogating pleiotropic effects of cellular senescence in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M Warde
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Lorenzo J Smith
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Lihua Liu
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Chris J Stubben
- Bioinformatics Shared Resource, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Brian K Lohman
- Bioinformatics Shared Resource, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Parker W Willett
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Julia L Ammer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Sikiru O Imodoye
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Chenge Zhang
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Kara D Jones
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Kimber Converso-Baran
- Frankel Cardiovascular Center Physiology and Phenotyping Core, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - H Atakan Ekiz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, Urla Izmir, Turkey
| | - Marc Barry
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Michael R Clay
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado School of Medicine at Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Katja Kiseljak-Vassiliades
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine at Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Thomas J Giordano
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Endocrine Oncology Program, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gary D Hammer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Endocrine Oncology Program, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kaitlin J Basham
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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9
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Sedlack AJH, Hatfield SJ, Kumar S, Arakawa Y, Roper N, Sun NY, Nilubol N, Kiseljak-Vassiliades K, Hoang CD, Bergsland EK, Hernandez JM, Pommier Y, del Rivero J. Preclinical Models of Adrenocortical Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2873. [PMID: 37296836 PMCID: PMC10251941 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Adrenocortical cancer is an aggressive endocrine malignancy with an incidence of 0.72 to 1.02 per million people/year, and a very poor prognosis with a five-year survival rate of 22%. As an orphan disease, clinical data are scarce, meaning that drug development and mechanistic research depend especially on preclinical models. While a single human ACC cell line was available for the last three decades, over the last five years, many new in vitro and in vivo preclinical models have been generated. Herein, we review both in vitro (cell lines, spheroids, and organoids) and in vivo (xenograft and genetically engineered mouse) models. Striking leaps have been made in terms of the preclinical models of ACC, and there are now several modern models available publicly and in repositories for research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. H. Sedlack
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Samual J. Hatfield
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Suresh Kumar
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yasuhiro Arakawa
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nitin Roper
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nai-Yun Sun
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Naris Nilubol
- Surgical Oncology Program National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Katja Kiseljak-Vassiliades
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80016, USA
| | - Chuong D. Hoang
- Thoracic Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Emily K. Bergsland
- University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Yves Pommier
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jaydira del Rivero
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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10
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Leo J, Dondossola E, Basham KJ, Wilson NR, Alhalabi O, Gao J, Kurnit KC, White MG, McQuade JL, Westin SN, Wellberg EA, Frigo DE. Stranger Things: New Roles and Opportunities for Androgen Receptor in Oncology Beyond Prostate Cancer. Endocrinology 2023; 164:bqad071. [PMID: 37154098 PMCID: PMC10413436 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqad071] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) is one of the oldest therapeutic targets in oncology and continues to dominate the treatment landscape for advanced prostate cancer, where nearly all treatment regimens include some form of AR modulation. In this regard, AR remains the central driver of prostate cancer cell biology. Emerging preclinical and clinical data implicate key roles for AR in additional cancer types, thereby expanding the importance of this drug target beyond prostate cancer. In this mini-review, new roles for AR in other cancer types are discussed as well as their potential for treatment with AR-targeted agents. Our understanding of these additional functions for AR in oncology expand this receptor's potential as a therapeutic target and will help guide the development of new treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Leo
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Eleonora Dondossola
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and the David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kaitlin J Basham
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Nathaniel R Wilson
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Omar Alhalabi
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and the David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jianjun Gao
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and the David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Katherine C Kurnit
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Section of Gynecologic Oncology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Michael G White
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jennifer L McQuade
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shannon N Westin
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Wellberg
- Department of Pathology, Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, and Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Daniel E Frigo
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and the David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
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11
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Abou Nader N, Zamberlam G, Boyer A. Transgenic Mouse Models to Study the Development and Maintenance of the Adrenal Cortex. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23. [PMID: 36430866 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The cortex of the adrenal gland is organized into concentric zones that produce distinct steroid hormones essential for body homeostasis in mammals. Mechanisms leading to the development, zonation and maintenance of the adrenal cortex are complex and have been studied since the 1800s. However, the advent of genetic manipulation and transgenic mouse models over the past 30 years has revolutionized our understanding of these mechanisms. This review lists and details the distinct Cre recombinase mouse strains available to study the adrenal cortex, and the remarkable progress total and conditional knockout mouse models have enabled us to make in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating the development and maintenance of the adrenal cortex.
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