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Lee MS, Bunin DI, Furimsky AM, Nguyen D, Parman T, Kim K, Rausch L, Lin MT, Gupta P, Brown JE, Kroopnick JM, Blithe DL. Novel progestogenic androgens for male contraception: design, synthesis, and activity of C7 α-substituted testosterone†. Biol Reprod 2023; 109:851-863. [PMID: 37669128 PMCID: PMC10724455 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad111] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Male contraceptive development has included use of testosterone (T) with or without a progestin or the use of a single molecule such as progestogenic androgens (PA) for suppression of testicular T production. Expanding upon the vast amount of data accumulated from nortestosterone (NT), NT analogs, and their prodrugs, a new series of PA, the C7 methyl, and ethyl α-substituted T analogs 7α-Methyltestosterone (7α-MT) and 7α-Ethyltestosterone (7α-ET), respectively, were hypothesized and designed to have superior androgenic and progestogenic activities when compared with parent T. Results from androgen receptor and progesterone receptor competitive binding and transcriptional activation assays showed favorable activities for these T analogs. Additionally, 7α-MT and 7α-ET were shown to be active substrates for aromatase in vitro, mitigating a potential negative impact on bone mineral density with long-term use. In conjunction with this observation, the diminished metabolism of these T analogs by 5α-reductase may reduce potential concerns for prostatic growth. In the Hershberger in vivo rat bioassay, 7α-MT and 7α-ET showed superior androgenic and anabolic activities as compared with T. These C7 α-substituted T analogs also showed clear progestogenic activity in the McPhail bioassay which evaluated endometrial glandular arborization in a rabbit model. The discovery of aromatizable molecules with reduced metabolism by 5α-reductase that have androgenic, anabolic, and progestogenic properties indicates that the core and/or prodrugs of 7α-MT and 7α-ET are promising molecules for further development as male contraceptive PAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min S Lee
- Contraceptive Development Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Deborah I Bunin
- Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Anna M Furimsky
- Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Donna Nguyen
- Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | | | - Kyuri Kim
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Linda Rausch
- Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Jill E Brown
- Department of Gynecologic Surgery & Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Kroopnick
- Contraceptive Development Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Diana L Blithe
- Contraceptive Development Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Brakewood ES, Stoever K, Has P, Ayala NK, Danilack-Fekete VA, Savitz D, Lewkowitz AK. Neonatal and Maternal Outcomes of Pregnancies following Stillbirth. Am J Perinatol 2023. [PMID: 37907199 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1776349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Prior stillbirth increases risk of subsequent stillbirth but has unclear effect on subsequent liveborn pregnancies. We examined associations between prior stillbirth, adverse neonatal outcomes, and maternal morbidity in subsequent liveborn pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN This is a secondary analysis of a large, National Institutes of Health-funded retrospective cohort study of parturients who delivered a singleton infant at a tertiary-care hospital from January 2002 to March 2013 and had a past medical/obstetric history of diabetic, and/or hypertensive disorders, and/or pregnancy with fetal growth restriction. Our analysis included all multiparous patients from the parent study. The primary outcome was a neonatal morbidity composite (neonatal resuscitation, neonatal birth injury, respiratory distress syndrome, transient tachypnea of the newborn, hypoglycemia, sepsis). Secondary outcomes included a maternal morbidity composite (venous thromboembolism, intensive care unit admission, disseminated intravascular coagulation, sepsis, hysterectomy, pulmonary edema, renal failure, blood transfusion), other maternal/delivery complications, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. Outcomes were compared between those with versus without prior stillbirth. Negative binomial regression controlled for maternal comorbidities and delivery year. RESULTS Among 171 and 5,245 multiparous parturients with versus without prior stillbirth, respectively, those with prior stillbirth had higher rates of pregestational diabetes, autoimmune disease, and clotting disorders. After controlling for these differences and delivery year, infants of parturients with prior stillbirth had similar risk of composite neonatal morbidity (adjusted relative ratio [aRR] 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99-1.45) but higher risk of NICU admission (aRR 1.42; 95% CI 1.06-1.91) compared with infants of parturients without prior stillbirth, despite delivering at similar gestational ages. Multiparous patients with prior stillbirth had equal maternal morbidity risk but higher risk of developing preeclampsia with severe features (aRR 2.11; 95% CI 1.19-3.72). CONCLUSION Compared with high-risk multiparous patients without prior stillbirth, those with prior stillbirth have higher risk of NICU admission and preeclampsia with severe features. KEY POINTS · Prior stillbirth increases risk in subsequent livebirth for NICU admission and neonatal morbidity.. · Prior stillbirth increased the risk of severe preeclampsia for mothers in subsequent livebirth.. · Additional monitoring of pregnancies of patients with prior history of demise may be warranted..
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor S Brakewood
- Department of Medical Education, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Kara Stoever
- Department of OB/GYN, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Phinnara Has
- Division of Research, Lifespan Health System, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Nina K Ayala
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of OB/GYN, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Rhode Island
| | | | - David Savitz
- Department of OB/GYN, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Rhode Island
| | - Adam K Lewkowitz
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of OB/GYN, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Rhode Island
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Fan Z, Kernan KF, Qin Y, Canna S, Berg RA, Wessel D, Pollack MM, Meert K, Hall M, Newth C, Lin JC, Doctor A, Shanley T, Cornell T, Harrison RE, Zuppa AF, Sward K, Dean JM, Park HJ, Carcillo JA. Hyperferritinemic sepsis, macrophage activation syndrome, and mortality in a pediatric research network: a causal inference analysis. Crit Care 2023; 27:347. [PMID: 37674218 PMCID: PMC10481565 DOI: 10.1186/s13054-023-04628-x] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of five global deaths are attributable to sepsis. Hyperferritinemic sepsis (> 500 ng/mL) is associated with increased mortality in single-center studies. Our pediatric research network's objective was to obtain rationale for designing anti-inflammatory clinical trials targeting hyperferritinemic sepsis. METHODS We assessed differences in 32 cytokines, immune depression (low whole blood ex vivo TNF response to endotoxin) and thrombotic microangiopathy (low ADAMTS13 activity) biomarkers, seven viral DNAemias, and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) defined by combined hepatobiliary dysfunction and disseminated intravascular coagulation, and mortality in 117 children with hyperferritinemic sepsis (ferritin level > 500 ng/mL) compared to 280 children with sepsis without hyperferritinemia. Causal inference analysis of these 41 variables, MAS, and mortality was performed. RESULTS Mortality was increased in children with hyperferritinemic sepsis (27/117, 23% vs 16/280, 5.7%; Odds Ratio = 4.85, 95% CI [2.55-9.60]; z = 4.728; P-value < 0.0001). Hyperferritinemic sepsis had higher C-reactive protein, sCD163, IL-22, IL-18, IL-18 binding protein, MIG/CXCL9, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17a, IFN-γ, IP10/CXCL10, MCP-1/CCL2, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, TNF, MCP-3, IL-2RA (sCD25), IL-16, M-CSF, and SCF levels; lower ADAMTS13 activity, sFasL, whole blood ex vivo TNF response to endotoxin, and TRAIL levels; more Adenovirus, BK virus, and multiple virus DNAemias; and more MAS (P-value < 0.05). Among these variables, only MCP-1/CCL2 (the monocyte chemoattractant protein), MAS, and ferritin levels were directly causally associated with mortality. MCP-1/CCL2 and hyperferritinemia showed direct causal association with depressed ex vivo whole blood TNF response to endotoxin. MCP-1/CCL2 was a mediator of MAS. MCP-1/CCL2 and MAS were mediators of hyperferritinemia. CONCLUSIONS These findings establish hyperferritinemic sepsis as a high-risk condition characterized by increased cytokinemia, viral DNAemia, thrombotic microangiopathy, immune depression, macrophage activation syndrome, and death. The causal analysis provides rationale for designing anti-inflammatory trials that reduce macrophage activation to improve survival and enhance infection clearance in pediatric hyperferritinemic sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenziang Fan
- Department of Computer Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kate F Kernan
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Faculty Pavilion, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Center for Critical Care Nephrology and Clinical Research Investigation and Systems Modeling of Acute Illness Center, University of Pittsburgh, Suite 2000, 4400 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15421, USA
| | - Yidi Qin
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Scott Canna
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Robert A Berg
- Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David Wessel
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Murray M Pollack
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kathleen Meert
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA
- Central Michigan University, Mt Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Mark Hall
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital Immune Surveillance Laboratory, and Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Christopher Newth
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John C Lin
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Allan Doctor
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Tom Shanley
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, C. S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Tim Cornell
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, C. S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rick E Harrison
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Mattel Children's Hospital at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Athena F Zuppa
- Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katherine Sward
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - J Michael Dean
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - H J Park
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Joseph A Carcillo
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Faculty Pavilion, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Center for Critical Care Nephrology and Clinical Research Investigation and Systems Modeling of Acute Illness Center, University of Pittsburgh, Suite 2000, 4400 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15421, USA.
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Fisher PR, Allan CY, Sanislav O, Atkinson A, Ngoei KRW, Kemp BE, Storey E, Loesch DZ, Annesley SJ. Relationships between Mitochondrial Function, AMPK, and TORC1 Signaling in Lymphoblasts with Premutation Alleles of the FMR1 Gene. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10393. [PMID: 34638732 PMCID: PMC8508849 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The X-linked FMR1 gene contains a non-coding trinucleotide repeat in its 5' region that, in normal, healthy individuals contains 20-44 copies. Large expansions of this region (>200 copies) cause fragile X syndrome (FXS), but expansions of 55-199 copies (referred to as premutation alleles) predispose carriers to a neurodegenerative disease called fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). The cytopathological mechanisms underlying FXTAS are poorly understood, but abnormalities in mitochondrial function are believed to play a role. We previously reported that lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs, or lymphoblasts) of premutation carriers have elevated mitochondrial respiratory activities. In the carriers, especially those not clinically affected with FXTAS, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity was shown to be elevated. In the FXTAS patients, however, it was negatively correlated with brain white matter lesions, suggesting a protective role in the molecular mechanisms. Here, we report an enlarged and extended study of mitochondrial function and associated cellular stress-signaling pathways in lymphoblasts isolated from male and female premutation carriers, regardless of their clinical status, and healthy controls. The results confirmed the elevation of AMPK and mitochondrial respiratory activities and reduction in reactive O2 species (ROS) levels in premutation cells and revealed for the first time that target of rapamycin complex I (TORC1) activities are reduced. Extensive correlation, multiple regression, and principal components analysis revealed the best fitting statistical explanations of these changes in terms of the other variables measured. These suggested which variables might be the most "proximal" regulators of the others in the extensive network of known causal interactions amongst the measured parameters of mitochondrial function and cellular stress signaling. In the resulting model, the premutation alleles activate AMPK and inhibit both TORC1 and ROS production, the reduced TORC1 activity contributes to activation of AMPK and of nonmitochondrial metabolism, and the higher AMPK activity results in elevated catabolic metabolism, mitochondrial respiration, and ATP steady state levels. In addition, the results suggest a separate CGG repeat number-dependent elevation of TORC1 activity that is insufficient to overcome the inhibition of TORC1 in premutation cells but may presage the previously reported activation of TORC1 in FXS cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul R. Fisher
- Department of Physiology Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; (C.Y.A.); (O.S.); (S.J.A.)
| | - Claire Y. Allan
- Department of Physiology Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; (C.Y.A.); (O.S.); (S.J.A.)
| | - Oana Sanislav
- Department of Physiology Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; (C.Y.A.); (O.S.); (S.J.A.)
| | - Anna Atkinson
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; (A.A.); (D.Z.L.)
| | - Kevin R. W. Ngoei
- St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia; (K.R.W.N.); (B.E.K.)
| | - Bruce E. Kemp
- St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia; (K.R.W.N.); (B.E.K.)
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Elsdon Storey
- Department of Medicine, Alfred Hospital Campus, Monash University, Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia;
| | - Danuta Z. Loesch
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; (A.A.); (D.Z.L.)
| | - Sarah J. Annesley
- Department of Physiology Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; (C.Y.A.); (O.S.); (S.J.A.)
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Abstract
This paper examines the association between the Great Recession and real assets among families with young children. Real assets such as homes and cars are key indicators of economic well-being that may be especially valuable to low-income families. Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 4,898), we investigate the association between the city unemployment rate and home and car ownership and how the relationship varies by family structure (married, cohabiting, and single parents) and by race/ethnicity (White, Black, and Hispanic mothers). Using mother fixed-effects models, we find that a one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate is associated with a -0.5 percentage point decline in the probability of home ownership and a -0.7 percentage point decline in the probability of car ownership. We also find that the recession was associated with lower levels of home ownership for cohabiting families and for Hispanic families, as well as lower car ownership among single mothers and among Black mothers, whereas no change was observed among married families or White households. Considering that homes and cars are the most important assets among middle and low-income households in the U.S., these results suggest that the rise in the unemployment rate during the Great Recession may have increased household asset inequality across family structures and race/ethnicities, limiting economic mobility, and exacerbating the cycle of poverty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Duque
- Population Studies Center and Department of Economics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Natasha V. Pilkauskas
- Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
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