Project description:In order to investigate how chronic steroid treatment affects mouse skin at molecular levels, we shaved the back hair of 7 week-old female C57BL/6 mice and applied steroid (5 μg fluocinolone acetonide in 200 μl acetone) or vehicle once every three days for 12 days and then collected the skin samples 1, 15, or 30 days later for transcriptomic analysis.
Project description:Global transcriptome analysis revealed altered expression of 291 genes, including mRNAs for several AR-interacting proteins and multiple enzymes involved in steroid metabolism. The data indicate that antiandrogens modify the androgen signaling in VCaP xenografts at multiple levels by reducing concentrations of active androgens, increasing AR expression and inducing alterations in the expression of AR interacting proteins, steroid metabolizing enzymes and AR downstream target genes.
Project description:Background: Autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS), results from cortisol-producing adenomas (CPA), causes endogenous steroid-induced osteoporosis (SIOP). However, how other adrenal steroid metabolites affect bone status is unclear. Methods: ACS was diagnosed at serum cortisol after 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST-cortisol) ≥ 1.8 g/dL. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we measured 21 plasma steroid metabolites in 73 patients with ACS and 85 with non-functioning adrenal tumors (NFAT). We also examined expression of steroidogenic enzymes and relevant steroid metabolites in some of CPA tissues. Results: In discriminant and principal component analysis, steroid profiles distinguished between the ACS and NFAT groups in premenopausal women. Premenopausal women with ACS exhibited higher levels of a mineralocorticoid metabolite; 11-deoxycorticosterone (11-DOC), with lower androgen metabolites; dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate and androsterone-glucuronide. In premenopausal women with ACS, DST-cortisol was negatively correlated with trabecular bone score (TBS). Additionally, 11-DOC was negatively correlated with lumbar spine-bone mineral density (r = -0.603), while androsterone-glucuronide was positively correlated with TBS (r = 0.681), which was supported by Bayesian kernel machine regression analysis. There were no such correlations in postmenopausal women and men. The CPA tissues showed increased levels of 11-DOC, with increased expression of CYP21A2, which is essential for 11-DOC synthesis. The adrenal non-tumor tissues were atrophied with reduced expression of CYB5A, which is required for androgen synthesis. Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence that unbalanced production of adrenal steroid metabolites, which are derived from both adrenal tumors and non-tumor tissues, play a role in the pathogenesis of endogenous SIOP in premenopausal women with ACS.
Project description:eQTL is a powerful method to detect genotype-expression correlation. To be able to identify the genes whose expression levels are correlated with melanoma-associated common variants, eQTL analysis was performed in 59 early passage melanoma cell lines
Project description:We observed 21 prominent protein spots that differed between the two groups. Three of these proteins were upregulated and the rest 18 proteins were downregulated in patients with steroid-induced ONFH. The spots determined in the steroid-induced ONFH and health control groups were replicable.The spot no. 21 corresponding to an upregulated protein in patients with steroid-induced ONFH was identified as SAA.
Project description:eQTL is a powerful method to detect genotype-expression correlation. To be able to identify the genes whose expression levels are correlated with germline genetic variants including the ones associated with melanoma, eQTL analysis was performed in 106 primary melanocyte cultrures
Project description:Steroid-refractory acute rejection is a risk factor for inferior renal allograft outcome. We aimed to gain insight into the mechanisms underlying steroid resistance by identifying novel molecular markers of steroid-refractory acute rejection. Eighty-three kidney transplant recipients (1995-2005), who were treated with methylprednisolone during a first acute rejection episode, were included in this study. Gene expression patterns were investigated in a discovery cohort of 36 acute rejection biopsies, and verified in a validation cohort of 47 acute rejection biopsies. In the discovery set, expression of metallothioneins (MT) was significantly (P<0.000001) associated with decreased response to steroid treatment. Multivariate analysis resulted in a predictive model containing MT-1 as an independent covariate (AUC=0.88, P<0.0000001). In the validation set, MT-1 expression was also significantly associated with steroid resistance (P=0.029). Metallothionein expression was detected in macrophages and tubular epithelial cells. Parallel to the findings in patients, in vitro experiments of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 11 donors showed that non-response to methylprednisolone treatment is related to highly elevated MT levels. High expression of metallothioneins in renal allografts is associated with resistance to steroid treatment. Metallothioneins regulate intracellular concentrations of zinc, through which they may diminish the zinc-requiring anti-inflammatory effect of the glucocorticoid receptor. Transcriptional profiles of 40 renal allograft biopsy samples were analyzed using Illumina HumanRef-8 v3.0 BeadChips (Illumina, San Diego, CA). Expression profiles were investigated in total RNA isolated from biopsy samples of 18 patients with steroid responsive acute rejection and 18 patients with steroid resistant acute rejection. Four biopsies, taken during acute decrease of graft function but with no histomorphologic indication of rejection, were included as controls.
Project description:We profile the binding of Steroid Receptor Co-activator (SRC1) in LY2 cells, a tamoxifen-resistant cell line, in the presence and absence of tamoxifen using ChIP-sequencing technology. The development of breast cancer resistance to endocrine therapy results from an increase in cellular plasticity leading to the development of a steroid-independent tumour. The p160 steroid coactivataor protein SRC-1, through interactions with developmental proteins and other non-steroidal transcription factors, drives this tumour adaptability. Here, using discovery studies, we identify ADAM22, a non-protease member of the ADAMs family, as a direct, ER-independent target of SRC-1. Molecular, cellular and in vivo studies confirmed SRC-1 as a regulator of ADAM22. At a functional level, a role for ADAM22 in cellular migration and differentiation was observed. In vivo data from a mouse xenograft model indicated that ADAM22 expression was higher in 4-OHT-treated endocrine-resistant tumours than in tumours derived from isogenic, sensitive cells. Furthermore, in breast cancer patients, ADAM22 expression is an independent predictor of poor disease free survival. SRC-1 can function as a molecular switch which converts a steroid-responsive tumour to a steroid-resistant tumour. The ER-independent SRC-1 target ADAM22 is a potential drug target and a companion predictive biomarker in the treatment of endocrine-resistant breast cancer. Examination of SRC-1 binding in LY2 cells in the presence or absence of tamoxifen treatment. 2 replicates each.