StAR protein and steroidogenic enzyme expressions in the rat Harderian gland

Cancer is a multifactorial condition with aberrant growth of cells. A substantial number of cancers, breast in particular, are hormone sensitive and evolve due to malfunction in the steroidogenic machinery. Breast cancer, one of the most prevalent form of cancers in women, is primarily stimulated by estrogens. Steroid hormones are made from cholesterol, and regulation of steroid/estrogen biosynthesis is essentially influenced by the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein. Although the impact of StAR in breast cancer remains a mystery, we recently reported that StAR protein is abundantly expressed in hormone sensitive breast cancer, but not in its non-cancerous counterpart. Herein, we analyzed genomic profiles, hormone receptor expression, mutation, and survival for StAR and steroidogenic enzyme genes in a variety of hormone sensitive cancers. These profiles were specifically assessed in breast cancer, exploiting The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. Whereas StAR and key steroidogenic enzyme genes evaluated (CYP11A1, HSD3B, CYP17A1, CYP19A1, and HSD17B) were altered to varying levels in these hormone responsive cancers, amplification of the StAR gene was correlated with poor overall survival of patients afflicted with breast cancer. Amplification of the StAR gene and its correlation to survival was also verified in a number of breast cancer studies. Additionally, TCGA breast cancer tumors associated with aberrant high expression of StAR mRNA were found to be an unfavorable risk factor for survival of patients with breast cancer. Further analyses of tumors, nodal status, and metastases of breast cancer tumors expressing StAR mRNA displayed cancer deaths in stage specific manners. The majority of these tumors were found to express estrogen and progesterone receptors, signifying a link between StAR and luminal subtype breast cancer. Collectively, analyses of genomic and molecular profiles of key steroidogenic factors provide novel insights that StAR plays an important role in the biologic behavior and/or pathogenesis of hormone sensitive breast cancer.

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Further Studies on the Ultrastructure of Harderian Gland in Adult Rats

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100051451 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 288-289

Author(s):

Alfredo Feria-Velasco ◽

Guadalupe Tapia-Arizmendi

Keyword(s):

Fine Structure ◽

Domestic Fowl ◽

Animal Species ◽

Acinar Cells ◽

Harderian Gland ◽

Myoepithelial Cells ◽

The Other ◽

Albino Rats ◽

Adult Rats ◽

Cell Components

The fine structure of the Harderian gland has been described in some animal species (hamster, rabbit, mouse, domestic fowl and albino rats). There are only two reports in the literature dealing on the ultrastructure of rat Harderian gland in adult animals. In one of them the author describes the myoepithelial cells in methacrylate-embbeded tissue, and the other deals with the maturation of the acinar cells and the formation of the secretory droplets. The aim of the present work is to analize the relationships among the acinar cell components and to describe the two types of cells located at the perifery of the acini.

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1171 Steroidogenic enzyme activity is predictive of spontaneous preterm delivery

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology ◽

10.1016/j.ajog.2020.12.1195 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 224 (2) ◽

pp. S721

Author(s):

Avinash Patil ◽

Chad Grotegut ◽

Daniela Gomez ◽

Ravindu Gunatilake

Keyword(s):

Enzyme Activity ◽

Preterm Delivery ◽

Steroidogenic Enzyme ◽

Spontaneous Preterm Delivery

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Properties of dihydroxyacetone phosphate acyltransferase in the harderian gland.

Journal of Biological Chemistry ◽

10.1016/s0021-9258(17)39965-9 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 252 (18) ◽

pp. 6363-6366 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

C O Rock ◽

V Fitzgerald ◽

F Snyder

Keyword(s):

Harderian Gland ◽

Dihydroxyacetone Phosphate

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Amphetamine-Decreased Progesterone and Estradiol Release in Rat Granulosa Cells: The Regulatory Role of cAMP- and Ca2+-Mediated Signaling Pathways

Biomedicines ◽

10.3390/biomedicines9050493 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 493

Author(s):

Chung-Yu Chen ◽

Chien-Rung Chen ◽

Chiao-Nan Chen ◽

Paulus S. Wang ◽

Toby Mündel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Granulosa Cells ◽

Prostaglandin F2α ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Inhibitory Effects ◽

Steroidogenic Enzyme ◽

Estradiol Secretion ◽

Basal Release ◽

Ca2 Channels

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the amphetamine effects on progesterone and estradiol production in rat granulosa cells and the underlying cellular regulatory mechanisms. Freshly dispersed rat granulosa cells were cultured with various test drugs in the presence of amphetamine, and the estradiol/progesterone production and the cytosolic cAMP level were measured. Additionally, the cytosolic-free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) were measured to examine the role of Ca2+ influx in the presence of amphetamine. Amphetamine in vitro inhibited both basal and porcine follicle-stimulating hormone-stimulated estradiol/progesterone release, and amphetamine significantly decreased steroidogenic enzyme activities. Adding 8-Bromo-cAMP did not recover the inhibitory effects of amphetamine on progesterone and estradiol release. H89 significantly decreased progesterone and estradiol basal release but failed to enhance a further amphetamine inhibitory effect. Amphetamine was capable of further suppressing the release of estradiol release under the presence of nifedipine. Pretreatment with the amphetamine for 2 h decreased the basal [Ca2+]i and prostaglandin F2α-stimulated increase of [Ca2+]i. Amphetamine inhibits progesterone and estradiol secretion in rat granulosa cells through a mechanism involving decreased PKA-downstream steroidogenic enzyme activity and L-type Ca2+ channels. Our current findings show that it is necessary to study the possibility of amphetamine perturbing reproduction in females.

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