Disruptive effects of plasticizers bisphenol A, F, and S on steroidogenesis of adrenocortical cells.

Introduction: Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are known to interfere with endocrine homeostasis. Their impact on the adrenal cortex and steroidogenesis has not yet been sufficiently elucidated. This applies in particular to the ubiquitously available bisphenols A (BPA), F (BPF), and S (BPS).

A novel LC-MS/MS-based assay for the simultaneous quantification of aldosterone-related steroids in human urine.

Objectives: Primary aldosteronism is the most common cause of endocrine hypertension and is associated with significant cardiovascular morbidities. The diagnostic workup depends on determinations of plasma aldosterone and renin which are highly variable and associated with false-positive and false-negative results. Quantification of aldosterone in 24 h urine may provide more reliable results, but the methodology is not well established.

Active steroid hormone synthesis renders adrenocortical cells highly susceptible to type II ferroptosis induction.

Conditions of impaired adrenal function and tissue destruction, such as in Addison's disease, and treatment resistance of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) necessitate improved understanding of the pathophysiology of adrenal cell death. Due to relevant oxidative processes in the adrenal cortex, our study investigated the role of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death mechanism and found high adrenocortical expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and long-chain-fatty-acid CoA ligase 4 (ACSL4) genes, key factors in the initiation of ferroptosis. By applying MALDI mass spectrometry imaging to normal and neoplastic adrenocortical tissue, we detected high abundance of arachidonic and adrenic acid, two long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids which undergo peroxidation during ferroptosis.

A Micellar Mitotane Formulation with High Drug-Loading and Solubility: Physico-Chemical Characterization and Cytotoxicity Studies in 2D and 3D In Vitro Tumor Models.

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare tumor and prognosis is overall poor but heterogeneous. Mitotane (MT) has been used for treatment of ACC for decades, either alone or in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy. Even at doses up to 6 g per day, more than half of the patients do not achieve targeted plasma concentration (14-20 mg L ) even after many months of treatment due to low water solubility, bioavailability, and unfavorable pharmacokinetic profile.

Plasma steroid metabolome profiling for the diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinoma.

Objective Current workup for the pre-operative distinction between frequent adrenocortical adenomas (ACAs) and rare but aggressive adrenocortical carcinomas (ACCs) combines imaging and biochemical testing. We here investigated the potential of plasma steroid hormone profiling by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the diagnosis of malignancy in adrenocortical tumors. Design Retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected EDTA-plasma samples in a single tertiary reference center.

Hsp90 inhibition in adrenocortical carcinoma: Limited drug synergism with mitotane.

90 kDa heat shock proteins (Hsp90) act as protein chaperones and play a role in modulating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Hsp90 inhibitors are under clinical investigation as cancer treatment. Mitotane therapy of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) has been shown to act through lipid-induced ER-stress.

Abiraterone Acetate for Cushing Syndrome: Study in a Canine Primary Adrenocortical Cell Culture Model.

Abiraterone acetate (AA) is a potent inhibitor of steroidogenic enzyme 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17A1). AA is approved for the treatment of prostate cancer but could also be used to treat patients with Cushing syndrome (CS). Similar to humans, canine glucocorticoid synthesis requires CYP17A1, providing a useful animal model.

Drug Synergism of Proteasome Inhibitors and Mitotane by Complementary Activation of ER Stress in Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cells.

Mitotane is the only drug approved for treatment of the orphan disease adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and was recently shown to be the first clinically used drug acting through endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress induced by toxic lipids. Since mitotane has limited clinical activity as monotherapy, we here study the potential of activating ER-stress through alternative pathways. The single reliable NCI-H295 cell culture model for ACC was used to study the impact MG132, bortezomib (BTZ) and carfilzomib (CFZ) on mRNA and protein expression of ER-stress markers, cell viability and steroid hormone secretion.

The Plant-Derived Naphthoquinone Droserone Inhibits In Vitro Measles Virus Infection.

The naphthoquinone droserone () is a natural product occurring in dicotyledonous plants. We have now observed that the addition of during infection of tissue culture cells with measles virus considerably reduced the infection. Interestingly, the infection was inhibited only when droserone () was added during virus entry, but not when added to the cells prior to virus uptake or after virus uptake.

Association of mitotane with chylomicrons and serum lipoproteins: practical implications for treatment of adrenocortical carcinoma.

Objective: Oral mitotane (o,p'-DDD) is a cornerstone of medical treatment for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC).

Aim: Serum mitotane concentrations >14  mg/l are targeted for improved efficacy but not achieved in about half of patients. Here we aimed at a better understanding of intestinal absorption and lipoprotein association of mitotane and metabolites o,p'-dichlorodiphenylacetic acid (o,p'-DDA) and o,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (o,p'-DDE).

Mitotane Inhibits Sterol-O-Acyl Transferase 1 Triggering Lipid-Mediated Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Apoptosis in Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cells.

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy that harbors a dismal prognosis in advanced stages. Mitotane is approved as an orphan drug for treatment of ACC and counteracts tumor growth and steroid hormone production. Despite serious adverse effects, mitotane has been clinically used for decades.

Experimental adaptation of wild-type canine distemper virus (CDV) to the human entry receptor CD150.

Canine distemper virus (CDV), a close relative of measles virus (MV), is widespread and well known for its broad host range. When the goal of measles eradication may be achieved, and when measles vaccination will be stopped, CDV might eventually cross the species barrier to humans and emerge as a new human pathogen. In order to get an impression how fast such alterations may occur, we characterized required adaptive mutations to the human entry receptors CD150 (SLAM) and nectin-4 as first step to infect human target cells.

The innate antiviral factor APOBEC3G targets replication of measles, mumps and respiratory syncytial viruses.

The cytidine deaminase APOBEC3G (apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme-catalytic polypeptide 3G; A3G) exerts antiviral activity against retroviruses, hepatitis B virus, adeno-associated virus and transposable elements. We assessed whether the negative-strand RNA viruses measles, mumps and respiratory syncytial might be affected by A3G, and found that their infectivity was reduced by 1-2 logs (90-99 %) in A3G overexpressing Vero cells, and in T-cell lines expressing A3G at physiological levels. Viral RNA was co-precipitated with HA-tagged A3G and could be amplified by RT-PCR.

Clearance of measles virus from persistently infected cells by short hairpin RNA.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a demyelinating central nervous system disease caused by a persistent measles virus (MV) infection of neurons and glial cells. There is still no specific therapy available, and in spite of an intact innate and adaptive immune response, SSPE leads inevitably to death. In order to select effective antiviral short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), we established a plasmid-based test system expressing the mRNA of DsRed2 fused with mRNA sequences of single viral genes, to which certain siRNAs were directed.