scholarly journals Dual effects of 9-cis retinoic acid on ACTH-dependent hyperplastic adrenal tissues

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Pecori Giraldi ◽  
Antonella Sesta ◽  
Laura Tapella ◽  
Maria Francesca Cassarino ◽  
Luigi Castelli
Keyword(s):  
Retinoic Acid ◽  
Cushing’S Disease ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Retinoic Acid Receptor ◽  
Enzyme Synthesis ◽  
Receptor Expression ◽  
Cushing's Disease ◽  
Cortisol Secretion ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Acth Secreting

AbstractRetinoids play a pivotal role in adrenal development and differentiation. Recent clinical trials revealed therapeutic potential of both all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acid in patients with cortisol excess due to a pituitary ACTH-secreting adenoma and indicated that retinoids might act also on the adrenal. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of 9-cis retinoic acid on adrenals from patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome. Adrenal specimens from six patients with Cushing’s disease were incubated with 10 nM–1 µM 9-cis retinoic acid with and without 10 nM ACTH. Cortisol secretion was measured by immunoassay and expression of genes involved in steroidogenesis as well as retinoic acid action were evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. Incubation with 10–100 nM 9-cis retinoic acid increased spontaneous cortisol secretion and expression of STAR and CYP17A. On the other hand, in wells treated with ACTH, 9-cis retinoic acid markedly diminished ACTH receptor upregulation and no stimulatory effect on cortisol secretion or steroidogenic enzyme synthesis was observed. ACTH itself increased ligand-induced retinoic acid receptor expression, possibly enhancing sensitivity to retinoic acid. Our findings indicate that the effect of 9-cis retinoic acid in presence of ACTH is distinct from unchallenged wells and support the hypothesis of a direct adrenal action in patients with Cushing’s disease.

scholarly journals Endogenous ACTH Concentration-Cortisol Secretion Dose Analysis Unmasks Decreased ACTH Potency in Cushing's Disease with Restoration after Successful Pituitary Adenomectomy

2011 ◽  
Vol 96 (12) ◽  
pp. 3768-3774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferdinand Roelfsema ◽  
Daniel M. Keenan ◽  
Johannes D. Veldhuis
Keyword(s):  
Surgical Treatment ◽  
Cushing’S Disease ◽  
Pituitary Surgery ◽  
Pulse Frequency ◽  
Cushing's Disease ◽  
P Value ◽  
Cortisol Secretion ◽  
Acth Concentration ◽  
Active Disease

Background: The relationship between circulating ACTH levels and cortisol secretion in Cushing's disease is not precisely known. Hypothesis: Chronic ACTH hyperstimulation leads to decreased adrenal potency and is restored after normalization of ACTH secretion. Subjects: Subjects included 20 patients with Cushing's disease, eight patients in long-term remission, and 36 healthy controls. Outcomes: ACTH and cortisol secretion rates and analytical dose-response estimates of endogenous ACTH efficacy (maximal cortisol secretion), dynamic ACTH potency, and adrenal sensitivity (slope term) from 24-h ACTH-cortisol profiles were evaluated. Results: Both basal and pulsatile secretion of ACTH and cortisol were increased in patients with active disease but normal in cured patients. ACTH, but not cortisol pulse frequency, was amplified in patients and restored after successful surgical treatment. ACTH EC50, an inverse measure of potency, was higher during pulse onset in Cushing's disease (59 ± 7.4 ng/liter) than in controls (20 ± 3.7 ng/liter) (P < 0.0001) and remitted patients after surgery [15 ± 3.2 ng/liter, P value not significant (NS) vs. controls] and during pulse recovery phases [128 ± 18 (P <0.0001), 70 ± 8.4, and 67 ± 17 ng/liter (NS vs. controls), respectively]. Efficacy was increased in active disease and normalized after surgical treatment [patients, 38 ± 8.3 nmol/liter · min, vs. controls, 21 ± 2.3 nmol/liter · min (P <0.0001), and cured patients, 15 ± 3.2 nmol/liter · min (NS vs. controls)]. Sensitivity to endogenous ACTH did not differ among the three groups. Conclusion: The adrenal gland in Cushing's disease exhibits decreased responsiveness to submaximal ACTH drive and amplified efficacy, with unchanged sensitivity. These target-gland abnormalities are reversible in long-term remission after pituitary surgery.

scholarly journals MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Paediatric Cushing's disease

2015 ◽  
Vol 173 (1) ◽  
pp. R35-R45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen L Storr ◽  
Martin O Savage
Keyword(s):  
Early Diagnosis ◽  
Clinical Diagnosis ◽  
Cushing’S Disease ◽  
Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
Cushing's Disease ◽  
Significant Morbidity ◽  
Endocrine Disease ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Acth Secreting ◽  
Biochemical Features

Cushing's disease (CD) is the commonest form of ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome and is a rare clinical diagnosis in paediatric and adolescent patients. CD is caused by an ACTH-secreting pituitary corticotroph adenoma and is associated with significant morbidity in children; therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are critical for optimal therapeutic outcome. This review highlights the key clinical and biochemical features of paediatric CD and appraises current practices in diagnosis and management. A close liaison with adult endocrinology colleagues, particularly, for interpretation of investigations and definition of therapeutic strategy is strongly advised.

Suppression of cortisol secretion by low-dose dexamethasone testing in Cushing's disease

1983 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucille W. King ◽  
Kalmon D. Post ◽  
Israel Yust ◽  
Seymour Reichlin
Keyword(s):  
Cushing’S Disease ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression Test ◽  
Cushing's Disease ◽  
Cortisol Secretion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Normal Individuals ◽  
Suppression Test ◽  
Peripheral Clearance ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression

✓ Pituitary-adrenal function in a patient with classical features of Cushing's disease, increased urinary excretion of cortisol, and documented pituitary adenoma was found to be suppressed by dexamethasone in doses even less than those required to inhibit secretion in normal individuals. This response was shown to be due to inappropriately high levels of dexamethasone in plasma, presumed to be the consequence of decreased peripheral clearance. Because the dexamethasone suppression test is so widely used for diagnosis of Cushing's disease, it is important to recognize that this situation can occasionally occur.

scholarly journals Nuclear Receptors as Potential Therapeutic Targets for Myeloid Leukemia

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1921
Author(s):  
Pan Pan ◽  
Xiao Chen
Keyword(s):  
Retinoic Acid ◽  
Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Retinoic Acid Receptor ◽  
Therapeutic Targets ◽  
Leukemic Cells ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferator ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor ◽  
All Trans Retinoic Acid ◽  
Research Findings

The nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily has been studied extensively in many solid tumors and some receptors have been targeted to develop therapies. However, their roles in leukemia are less clear and vary considerably among different types of leukemia. Some NRs participate in mediating the differentiation of myeloid cells, making them attractive therapeutic targets for myeloid leukemia. To date, the success of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) remains a classical and unsurpassable example of cancer differentiation therapy. ATRA targets retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and forces differentiation and/or apoptosis of leukemic cells. In addition, ligands/agonists of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) have also been shown to inhibit proliferation, induce differentiation, and promote apoptosis of leukemic cells. Encouragingly, combining different NR agonists or the addition of NR agonists to chemotherapies have shown some synergistic anti-leukemic effects. This review will summarize recent research findings and discuss the therapeutic potential of selected NRs in acute and chronic myeloid leukemia, focusing on RAR, VDR, PPAR, and retinoid X receptor (RXR). We believe that more mechanistic studies in this field will not only shed new lights on the roles of NRs in leukemia, but also further expand the clinical applications of existing therapeutic agents targeting NRs.

Immunochistochemical characteristics of blood vessels in non-visualized and visualized on MRI pituitary adenoma in patients with Cushing’s disease

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 65-66
Author(s):  
Patimat M. Khandaeva ◽  
Iya A. Voronkova ◽  
Zhanna E. Belaya ◽  
Lyudmila Y. Rozhinskaya ◽  
Aleksandr V. Vorontsov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pituitary Adenoma ◽  
Blood Vessels ◽  
Cushing’S Disease ◽  
Pituitary Tumor ◽  
Pituitary Tumors ◽  
Average Diameter ◽  
Cushing's Disease ◽  
Retrospective Evaluation ◽  
Acth Secreting ◽  
Microvessels Density

Backgraund. Regardless of improvements in MRI, up to 20% of ACTH-secreting pituitary tumors are only identified at surgical exploration.Aim: to estimate whether there is any difference in blood vessels and the subsequent ability to uptake contrast agent in visualized microadenoma as compared to non-visualized on MRI ACTH-secreting pituitary tumors.Materials and methods. retrospective evaluation of ACTH-positive pituitary tumors from patients with Cushing’s disease (n=39) with either non-visualized pituitary tumor on MRI (n=17) or pituitary tumor less then 25 mm (n=22). MRI was performed using Siemens Magnetom Harmony 1.0T with gadolinium. Selected tumors were stained with anty-СD34 antibody (clone QBEnd/10, RTU, Leica) and anty-D2-40 antibody (clone D2-40, RTU, Dako). We evaluated the microvessels density and measured the diameter of larger and smaller vessel.Results. The microvessels density were not different in subject with visualized (123 [77;136]) and non-visualized (112 [110,0;126,5]) pituitary adenomas as well as number of slit-shaped vessels (32 [5;50] in visualized vs 25 [5;50] in non-visualized pituitary adenoma). The diameter of these vessels also did not differ: the diameter of the largest vessels in patients without visualization 53 µm [32,5;63,5] vs 33 µm [30,0;51,5], the average diameter of the blood vessels 15 µm [14,5-26,0] against 13 µm [12;14].Conclusions. The diameter and microvessels density in ACTH-producing pituitary adenoma does not affect the visualization of adenoma on MRI in patients with Cushing 's disease.

scholarly journals Cyclic Cushing's disease with misleading inferior petrosal sinus sampling results during a trough phase

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. E7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivien Bonert ◽  
Namrata Bose ◽  
John D. Carmichael
Keyword(s):  
Cushing’S Syndrome ◽  
Cushing’S Disease ◽  
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Cushing's Syndrome ◽  
Cushing's Disease ◽  
Inferior Petrosal Sinus ◽  
Inferior Petrosal Sinus Sampling ◽  
Acth Secreting ◽  
Transsphenoidal Resection

Diagnosing Cushing's syndrome is challenging and is further hampered when investigations are performed in a patient with cyclic Cushing's syndrome. A subset of patients with Cushing's syndrome exhibit periods of abnormal cortisol secretion with interspersed normal secretion. Patients can have periods of clinical improvement during these quiescent phases or remain symptomatic. Initial diagnostic testing can be challenging because of the unpredictable durations of the peak and trough phases, and it is especially challenging when the diagnosis of cyclic Cushing's syndrome has not yet been determined. Here, the authors present the case of a patient with Cushing's disease with a pathology-proven adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)–secreting pituitary adenoma and whose initial inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) results were deemed indeterminate; further studies elucidated the diagnosis of cyclic Cushing's syndrome. Repeat IPSS was diagnostic of a central source for ACTH secretion, and the patient was treated successfully with transsphenoidal resection. Literature concerning the diagnosis and management of cyclic Cushing's syndrome is also reviewed.

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