The adrenal gland is a significant contributor to the circulating androgen pool in women and pre- pubertal children. Unlike the zona glomerulosa (ZG) and zona fasciculata (ZF), the zona reticularis (ZR) is relatively inactive until around 6 years of age when the zone expands and significantly increases the production of DHEA-S. This event is termed adrenarche, and is associated with the initiation of pubic and axillary hair growth as well as development of pubertal body odor and acne. Premature adrenarche (PA) describes an early rise in adrenal androgen production associated with concomitant development of pubic hair. Numerous studies now indicate that children with PA are more likely to have adult onset diseases that include insulin resistance and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Because of the large number of adults affected by these diseases, a better understanding of PA as a potential cause or early indicator of future disease has a high degree of clinical significance. My laboratory has approached the study of adrenarche by focusing on the adrenal itself and the changes it undergoes during the process of adrenarche. During our past funding period, we demonstrated distinct intra-adrenal changes during adrenarche that would allow the adrenal to produce a novel set of bioactive androgens. Preliminary steroid metabolomic analysis of human adrenal vein samples identified a series of novel androgens, including 112-hydroxytestosterone (11OHT) and 11- ketotestosterone (11KT). 11OHT and 11KT represent novel adrenal-specific steroids because their synthesis requires CYP11B1 (112-hydroxylase), an enzyme expressed almost solely in the human adrenal cortex. Our proposed research will test the overall hypothesis that adrenarche is marked by the production of bioactive androgens that play key roles in the physiologic effects of normal and premature adrenarche. We will address this goal through three specific aims:
Aim 1 will define the human adrenal bioactive androgen metabolome and the levels of these steroids during adrenarche.
Aim 2 will define the adrenocortical biosynthetic pathway for 11OHT and 11KT.
Aim 3 will determine the bioactive androgens that increase during premature adrenarche. Completion of the study goals will significantly increase our understanding of the adrenal products that cause the biochemical and phenotypic manifestations of adrenarche during the pre-pubertal years. Definition of this novel series of adrenal androgens will also provide new biomarkers of adrenal dysregulation that may have implications not only in PA but also in women with adrenal-related hyperandrogenism.

Public Health Relevance

Adrenarche denotes the progressive increase in adrenal androgen production that normally is detected around six years of age. Premature or exaggerated adrenarche appears to be a harbinger of adult diseases, thus increasing its clinical relevance. While DHEA and its sulfate are used to monitor adrenarche, these steroids have no androgenic bioactivity. In this proposal, we will define the bioactive androgens produced by the adrenal and define their role as markers of premature and normal adrenarche.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DK069950-10
Application #
8704271
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Margolis, Ronald N
Project Start
2005-09-01
Project End
2016-06-30
Budget Start
2014-07-01
Budget End
2015-06-30
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109
Rege, Juilee; Turcu, Adina F; Kasa-Vubu, Josephine Z et al. (2018) 11-Ketotestosterone Is the Dominant Circulating Bioactive Androgen During Normal and Premature Adrenarche. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 103:4589-4598
Gomez-Sanchez, Celso E; Lewis, Mark; Nanba, Kazutaka et al. (2017) Development of monoclonal antibodies against the human 3?-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/isomerase isozymes. Steroids 127:56-61
Rege, Juilee; Karashima, Shigehiro; Lerario, Antonio M et al. (2016) Age-dependent Increases in Adrenal Cytochrome b5 and Serum 5-Androstenediol-3-sulfate. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 101:4585-4593
Turcu, Adina F; Nanba, Aya T; Chomic, Robert et al. (2016) Adrenal-derived 11-oxygenated 19-carbon steroids are the dominant androgens in classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Eur J Endocrinol 174:601-9
Taylor, Matthew J; Sanjanwala, Aalok R; Morin, Emily E et al. (2016) Synthetic High-Density Lipoprotein (sHDL) Inhibits Steroid Production in HAC15 Adrenal Cells. Endocrinology 157:3122-9
Campana, Carmela; Rege, Juilee; Turcu, Adina F et al. (2016) Development of a novel cell based androgen screening model. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 156:17-22
Nakamura, Yasuhiro; Fujishima, Fumiyoshi; Hui, Xiao-gang et al. (2015) 3?HSD and CYB5A double positive adrenocortical cells during adrenal development/aging. Endocr Res 40:8-13
Rege, Juilee; Nishimoto, Hiromi Koso; Nishimoto, Koshiro et al. (2015) Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4 (BMP4): A Paracrine Regulator of Human Adrenal C19 Steroid Synthesis. Endocrinology 156:2530-40
Campana, Carmela; Pezzi, Vincenzo; Rainey, William E (2015) Cell-based assays for screening androgen receptor ligands. Semin Reprod Med 33:225-34
Satoh, Fumitoshi; Morimoto, Ryo; Ono, Yoshikiyo et al. (2015) Measurement of peripheral plasma 18-oxocortisol can discriminate unilateral adenoma from bilateral diseases in patients with primary aldosteronism. Hypertension 65:1096-102

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