DT7 peptide-modified lecithin nanoparticles co-loaded with γ-secretase inhibitor and dexamethasone efficiently inhibit T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and reduce gastrointestinal toxicity.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a serious hematologic malignancy and glucocorticoid resistance is the main recurrent cause for a high relapsed and death rate. Here, we proposed an effective therapeutic regimen of combining gamma-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) with dexamethasone (DEX) to overcome glucocorticoid resistance. Moreover, the bone marrow targeting DT7 peptide-modified lecithin nanoparticles co-loaded with DEX and GSI (TLnp/D&G) were developed to enhance T-ALL cells recognition and endocytosis. In vitro cytotoxicity studies showed that TLnp/D&G significantly inhibited cell survival and promoted apoptosis of T-ALL cells. Mechanically, we found that GSIs promoted DEX-induced cell apoptosis by two main synergetic mechanisms: 1) GSIs significantly upregulated glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in T-ALL and restored the glucocorticoid-induced pro-apoptotic response. 2) Both DEX and GSI synergistically inhibited BCL2 and suppressed the survival of T-ALL cells. Furthermore, in vivo studies demonstrated that TLnp/D&G showed high bone marrow accumulation and better antileukemic efficacy both in leukemia bearing models and in systemic Notch1-induced T-ALL models, with excellent biosafety and reduced gastrointestinal toxicity. Overall, our study provides new strategies for the treatment of T-ALL and promising bone marrow targeting systems with high transformation potential.

Characterisation and validation of an in vitro transactivation assay based on the 22Rv1/MMTV_GR-KO cell line to detect human androgen receptor agonists and antagonists.

We describe the characterisation and validation of an androgen receptor (AR) transactivation assay for detection of AR agonists and antagonists using a stably transfected human prostate cancer cell line. This 22Rv1/mouse mammary tumour virus glucocorticoid knock-out cell line based AR transactivation assay was validated by criteria in Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Guidance Document 34 to determine if the assay performed equally well to the AR EcoScreen Assay included in Test Guideline for AR Transactivation (OECD TG 458). There was no Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR) crosstalk, and no changes in the AR DNA sequence in cells after the successful knock out of GR. Subsequently, the concordance of classifications of the 22 test chemicals was 100% in all laboratories. The AR agonistic and antagonistic inter-laboratory coefficients of variation based on log[10% effect for 10 nM DHT, PC10] and log[inhibitory response of 800 pM DHT by at 30%, IC30] from comprehensive tests were 2.75% and 2.44%, respectively. The AR agonist/antagonist test chemical classifications were consistent across AR EcoScreen ARTA assay data for 82/89%, and the balanced accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 83/90%, 88/100% and 78/80%, respectively. This assay was successfully validated and was approved for inclusion in TG 458 in 2020.

Icariin reduces LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice undergoing bilateral adrenalectomy by regulating GRα.

In the present study, we established the acute lung injury (ALI) model of mice with adrenal insufficiency, and to investigate the possible mechanism by which Icariin (ICA) reduces lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -induced ALI in mice undergoing bilateral adrenalectomy by regulating glucocorticoid receptor α (GRα). ALI of BALB/c mice with adrenal insufficiency was induced by LPS and bilateral adrenalectomy (ADX). The pathological and morphological changes in lung tissues were observed, the levels of corticosterone, IL-6, and TNF-α in serum and lung tissues by ELISA. The levels of GRα, IL-6, TNF-α, NF-κB p65, Stat3, and c-Jun in lung tissues were detected by RT-qPCR and Western Blotting, GRα activity was blocked by GRα antagonist RU486. It was found that the dual intervention of LPS and ADX had further aggravation the downregulation of GRα and upregulation of NF-κB p65, c-Jun, Stat3, and IL-6 and TNF-α, ICA enhanced the expression of GRα in lung tissues and inhibited the expression of NF-κB p65, c-Jun, Stat3, IL-6, and TNF-ɑ, thereby reducing ALI. However, RU486 could partially counteract the protective effect of ICA on lung injury and its downregulating effect on various inflammatory transcription factors and inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, ICA reduces ALI in mice undergoing bilateral ADX by regulating GRα, and no inhibitory effect on hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis.

Why are depressed patients inflamed? A reflection on 20 years of research on depression, glucocorticoid resistance and inflammation.

Studies over the last 20 years have demonstrated that increased inflammation and hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are two of the most consistent biological findings in major depression and are often associated: but the molecular and clinical mechanisms underlying these abnormalities are still unclear. These findings are particularly enigmatic, especially considering the accepted notion that high levels of cortisol have an anti-inflammatory action, and therefore the coexistence of inflammation and hypercortisolemia in the same diagnostic group appears counter-intuitive. To celebrate the 2015 Anna-Monika Foundation Award to our laboratory, this review will discuss our own 20 years of research on the clinical and molecular evidence underlying the increased inflammation in depression, especially in the context of a hyperactive HPA axis, and discuss its implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of this disorder.

Prenatal Exposure to Maternal Obesity Alters Anxiety and Stress Coping Behaviors in Aged Mice.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence that maternal obesity and prenatal exposure to a high-fat diet program fetal development to regulate the physiology and behavior of the offspring in adulthood. Yet the extent to which the maternal dietary environment contributes to adult disease vulnerability remains unclear. In the current study we tested whether prenatal exposure to maternal obesity increases the offspring's vulnerability to stress-related psychiatric disorders. METHODS: We used a mouse model of maternal diet-induced obesity to investigate whether maternal obesity affects the response to adult chronic stress exposure in young adult (3-month-old) and aged adult (12-month-old) offspring. RESULTS: Long-lasting, delayed impairments to anxiety-like behaviors and stress coping strategies resulted on account of prenatal exposure to maternal obesity. Although maternal obesity did not change the offspring's behavioral response to chronic stress per se, we demonstrate that the behavioral outcomes induced by prenatal exposure to maternal obesity parallel the deleterious effects of adult chronic stress exposure in aged male mice. We found that the glucocorticoid receptor (GR, Nr3c1) is upregulated in various hypothalamic nuclei on account of maternal obesity. In addition, gene expression of a known regulator of the GR, FKBP51, is increased specifically within the paraventricular nucleus. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that maternal obesity parallels the deleterious effects of adult chronic stress exposure, and furthermore identifies GR/FKBP51 signaling as a novel candidate pathway regulated by maternal obesity.

Increased 5-HT2A receptor expression and function following central glucocorticoid receptor knockdown in vivo.

Central glucocorticoid receptor function may be reduced in depression. In vivo modelling of glucocorticoid receptor underfunctionality would assist in understanding its role in depressive illness. The role of glucocorticoid receptors in modulating 5-HT(2A) receptor expression and function in the central nervous system (CNS) is presently unclear, but 5-HT(2A) receptor function also appears altered in depression. With the aid of RNAse H accessibility mapping, we have developed a 21-mer antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (5'-TAAAAACAGGCTTCTGATCCT-3', termed GRAS-5) that showed 56% reduction in glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and 80% down-regulation in glucocorticoid receptor protein in rat C6 glioma cells. Sustained delivery to rat cerebral ventricles in slow release biodegradable polymer microspheres produced a marked decrease in glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and protein in hypothalamus (by 39% and 80%, respectively) and frontal cortex (by 26% and 67%, respectively) 5 days after a single injection, with parallel significant up-regulation of 5-HT(2A) receptor mRNA expression (13%) and binding (21%) in frontal cortex. 5-HT(2A) receptor function, determined by DOI-head-shakes, showed a 55% increase. These findings suggest that central 5-HT(2A) receptors are, directly or indirectly, under tonic inhibitory control by glucocorticoid receptor.

Corticotropin-releasing hormone expression is the major target for glucocorticoid feedback-control at the hypothalamic level.

Glucocorticoid production is controlled via the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by a negative feedback mechanism involving the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). A major site of regulation is the hypothalamus, where the GR is thought to repress the expression of genes such as corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP). To define the role of the GR in this feedback loop in more detail, the content of CRH, AVP and neurophysin in the median eminence of mice carrying a targeted disruption of the GR gene was studied using immunohistochemistry. GR-deficient mice were found to contain five times more CRH in the median eminence than wild-type littermates. In contrast, no significant change in the content of AVP was observed in the outer layer of the median eminence and neurophysin was also only moderately increased. Our studies suggest that, at the hypothalamic level, CRH synthesis is the major target for feedback control by the GR and that transcriptional control of AVP and neurophysin plays only a supportive role in this process.