11 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase antisense affects vascular contractile response and glucocorticoid metabolism

Glucocorticoids (GC's) are metabolized in vascular tissue by two isoforms of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-HSD). 11 beta-HSD2 is unidirectional and metabolizes GC's to their respective inactive 11-dehydro derivatives. 11 beta-HSD1 is bi-directional, also possessing reductase activity and thus the ability to regenerate active GC from the 11-dehydro derivatives. In vascular tissue, GC's amplify the pressor responses to catecholamines and angiotensin II and may down-regulate certain depressor systems such as nitric oxide and prostaglandins. We hypothesize that both 11 beta-HSD2 and 11 beta-HSD1 regulate GC levels in vascular tissue and are part of additional mechanisms that control vascular tone. We examined the effects of specific antisense oligomers to 11 beta-HSD2 and 11 beta-HSD1 on GC metabolism and contractile response to phenylephrine (PE) in rat aortic rings. In aortic rings incubated (24 h) with corticosterone (B) (10 nmol/l) and 11 beta-HSD2 antisense (3 micromol/l), the contractile response to graded concentrations of PE (PE: 10 nmol/l - 1 micromol/l) were significantly (P < 0.05) increased compared to rings incubated with B and 11 beta-HSD2 nonsense. 11 beta-HSD1 antisense oligomers also enhanced the ability of B to amplify the contractile response to PE. In addition, 11 beta-HSD2 and 11 beta-HSD1 antisense also decreased the metabolism of B to 11-dehydro-B. 11-Dehydro-B (100 nmol/l) also amplified the contractile response to PE in aortic rings (P < 0.01), most likely due to the generation of active corticosterone by 11 beta-HSD1-reductase; this effect was significantly attenuated by 11 beta-HSD1 antisense. 11 beta-HSD1 antisense also caused a marked decrease in the metabolism of 11-dehydro-B back to B by 11 beta-HSD1-reductase. These findings underscore the importance of 11 beta-HSD2 and 11 beta-HSD1 in regulating local concentrations of GC's in vascular tissue. They also indicate that decreased 11 beta-HSD2 activity may be a possible mechanism in hypertension and that 11 beta-HSD1-reductase may be a possible target for anti-hypertensive therapy.     

11 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity of the human placenta during pregnancy

A method for the quantitative estimation of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity (11 beta-HSD; EC.1.1.146) in human placental homogenates is described. This method is based on the separation of cortisol and cortisone by high performance liquid chromatography after extraction from homogenates incubated in the presence of cortisol and NADP. 11 beta-HSD activity (pmol/g wet weight per min) averaged 900 +/- 150 (mean +/- SEM) at 10 +/- 2 weeks of gestation, 915 +/- 35 at 17 +/- 2 weeks and 790 +/- 42 at 40 +/- 2 weeks, thus supporting the view that the placenta is an effective barrier to materno-fetal cortisol transfer throughout gestation.     

11beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the heart of normotensive and hypertensive rats

Corticosteroids have been shown to play a role in cardiac remodeling, with the possibility of a direct effect of overexpression of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11HSD) isoform 2 at the level of the cardiomyocytes. The aim of this study was to examine cardiac steroid metabolism in hypertensive rats with hearts that are hypertrophied and fibrotic and have structural alterations in the coronary circulation. To assess possible alterations of cardiac steroid metabolism the expression and activity of both isoforms of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11HSD) were studied in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), their normotensive controls Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), and in Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) and salt-resistant rats (DR) kept on a low- or high-salt diet. Using real-time quantitative RT-PCR and enzyme activity assay we found strain-dependent differences in cardiac metabolism of glucocorticoids. In Dahl rats expression of 11HSD1 and 11HSD2 mRNA was lower in DS than in DR rats and was not influenced by dietary salt intake; 11HSD1 mRNA was expressed at higher level than 11HSD2 mRNA. NADP(+)-dependent cardiac 11HSD activity showed similar distribution as 11HSD1 mRNA-lower activity in DS than in DR rats and no effect of salt intake. In SHR and WKY strains 11HSD2 mRNA expression was significantly higher in WKY than in SHR but no differences were observed in 11HSD1 mRNA abundance and NADP(+)-dependent 11HSD activity. These results show that the heart is able to metabolize glucocorticoids and that this metabolism is strain-dependent but do not support the notion of association between cardiac hypertrophy and changes of 11HSD1 and 11HSD2 expression.     

Induction of a program gene expression during osteoblast differentiation with strontium ranelate

Strontium ranelate, a new agent for the treatment of osteoporosis, has been shown stimulate bone formation in various experimental models. This study examines the effect of strontium ranelate on gene expression in osteoblasts, as well as the formation of mineralized (von Kossa-positive) colony-forming unit-osteoblasts (CFU-obs). Bone marrow-derived stromal cells cultured for 21 days under differentiating conditions, when exposed to strontium ranelate, displayed a significant time- and concentration-dependent increase in the expression of the master gene, Runx2, as well as bone sialoprotein (BSP), but interestingly without effects on osteocalcin. This was associated with a significant increase in the formation of CFU-obs at day 21 of culture. In U-33 pre-osteoblastic cells, strontium ranelate significantly enhanced the expression of Runx2 and osteocalcin, but not BSP. Late, more mature osteoblastic OB-6 cells showed significant elevations in BSP and osteocalcin, but with only minimal effects on Runx2. In conclusion, strontium ranelate stimulates osteoblast differentiation, but the induction of the program of gene expression appears to be cell type-specific. The increased osteoblastic differentiation is the likely basis underlying the therapeutic bone-forming actions of strontium ranelate.     

Differential expression of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase types 1 and 2 mRNA and glucocorticoid receptor protein during mouse embryonic development

Accumulating evidence suggests that the actions of glucocorticoids in target tissues are critically determined by the expression of not only the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) but also the glucocorticoid-metabolizing enzymes, known as 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase types 1 and 2 (11β-HSD1 and 11β-HSD2). To gain insight into the role of glucocorticoids in fetal development, the expression patterns of the two distinct 11β-HSD isozymes and GR were studied in the mouse embryo from embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5, TERM = E19) to postnatal day 0.5 (P0.5) by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively. 11β-HSD1 mRNA was detected in the heart as early as E12.5 and maintained thereafter. In the lung and liver, 11β-HSD1 mRNA was first detected between E14.5 and E16.5, increased to high levels towards term and maintained after birth. Relatively low levels of 11β-HSD1 mRNA were also detected in the kidney, adrenal glands and gastrointestinal tract at E18.5. However, the mRNA for 11β-HSD1 was undetectable in all other embryonic tissues including the brain. In contrast, kidney was the only organ that expressed appreciable levels of 11β-HSD2 mRNA during embryonic life. The level of 11β-HSD2 mRNA in the kidney increased dramatically in the newborn, which coincided with expression of 11β-HSD2 mRNA in the whisker follicle, tooth and salivary gland. Distinct from the profiles of 11β-HSD1 and 11β-HSD2 mRNA, GR protein was detectable in all tissues at all ages studied except for the thymus, salivary gland, and bone. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that tissue- and developmentally-stage specific expression of 11β-HSD1 and 11β-HSD2 as well as GR occurs in the developing mouse embryo, thus highlighting the importance of these two enzymes and GR in regulating glucocorticoid-mediated maturational events in specific tissues during murine embryonic development.     

IL-6 receptor expression and IL-6 effects change during osteoblast differentiation

Studies of the effects of interleukin-6 on osteoblasts have yielded conflicting results. In several earlier in vitro studies it has been stated that IL-6 has no effects on osteoblasts unless soluble IL-6 receptor is added. These results are contradictory to the fact that IL-6 receptors are expressed in osteoblasts in vivo. In this study, MC3T3 preosteoblast cells and rat bone marrow stromal cells were cultured in bone inducing medium containing ascorbic acid, β-glycerophosphate or dexamethasone. We found that IL-6 receptor expression increased in both types of cells during in vitro differentiation. Furthermore in MC3T3 cells IL-6 decreased proliferation and enhanced expression of two osteoblast-specific differentiation markers, Runx2 and osteocalcin, in proper sequential order. Interestingly, in both cell types IL-6-induced apoptosis only in later culture stages. We also found in MC3T3 cells that IL-6 induced STAT3 activation was significantly higher in later culture stages, i.e. when IL-6 receptor expression was high. The present study shows that IL-6 receptor expression increases during in vitro osteoblast differentiation and that IL-6 functions as a differentiation regulator of preosteoblast cells and an apoptosis initiator in more mature cells.     

p73-dependent expression of DAN during cisplatin-induced cell death and osteoblast differentiation

We previously reported that DAN, a founding member of the DAN family of secreted proteins, acts as an inhibitor of cell cycle progression and is closely involved in retinoic acid-induced neuroblastoma differentiation. In this study, we found that DAN as well as p73, the recently identified p53 family member, was up-regulated during osteoblast differentiation. Additionally, the expression of DAN was increased in response to cisplatin-induced cell death of neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Consistent with the previous reports, p73 was accumulated after the treatment with cisplatin. Intriguingly, we found a putative p53/p73-binding site in the 5'-upstream region of the human DAN gene. A luciferase reporter assay and an in vitro DNA-binding experiment revealed that this canonical p53/p73-binding site was a functional responsive element and was specific for p73. Our results suggest that there exists a functional association between DAN and p73 during osteoblast differentiation as well as cisplatin-induced cell death.     

Calmodulin and calmodulin-dependent kinase IIalpha regulate osteoblast differentiation by controlling c-fos expression

Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIalpha (alpha-CaMKII) was once thought to be exclusively expressed in neuronal tissue, but it is becoming increasingly evident that CaMKII is also expressed in various extraneural cells. CaMKII plays a critical role in regulating various signaling pathways leading to modulation of several aspects of cellular functions, including proliferation, differentiation, cytoskeletal structure, and gene expression. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of CaMKII in osteoblast-like cells (MC4) and to elucidate its role in osteoblast differentiation. We demonstrated that CaMKII, specifically the alpha isoform, is expressed in osteoblasts both in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of CaMKII by the calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine or the CaMKII antagonist KN93 reduces alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization, as well as causes 85 and 56% decreases in alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin gene expression, respectively. CaM and CaMKII antagonists, using the newborn mouse calvaria in vivo model, cause a 50% decrease in osteoblast number (N.Ob-BS) and a 32% decrease in mineralization (BV/TV). Pharmacologic and genetic inhibition of alpha-CaMKII by using trifluoperazine, KN93, and alpha-CaMKII small interfering RNA decreases the phosphorylation of ERK and of cAMP-response element-binding protein, leading to a significant decrease in the transactivation of serum response element and cAMP-response element. Inhibition of alpha-CaMKII decreases the expression of c-fos, AP-1 transactivation, and AP-1 DNA binding activity. Our findings demonstrated that alpha-CaMKII is expressed in osteoblasts and is involved in c-fos expression via regulation of serum response element and cAMP-response element. Inhibition of alpha-CaMKII results in a decrease in c-fos expression and AP-1 activation, leading to inhibition of osteoblast differentiation.     

Isoflavones regulate interleukin-6 and osteoprotegerin synthesis during osteoblast cell differentiation via an estrogen-receptor-dependent pathway

The hypothesis tested in this in vitro study was that the expression and production of dietary isoflavone-mediated osteoclastogenesis-regulatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and osteoprotegerin (OPG), are related to the different levels of estrogen receptors expressed in two hFOB osteoblastic cell lines. OPG mRNA expression was significantly increased in both hFOB1.19 and hFOB/ER9 cells treated with 17 beta-estradiol, genistein, or daidzein at 10(-8)M in comparison to vehicle (control) (P<0.05). In both cell lines, the release of IL-6 was suppressed, while OPG production was enhanced by isoflavone treatments (P<0.05). The increased expression of OPG and decreased IL-6 production by isoflavones were dose-dependent. Responses to isoflavones were much stronger in hFOB/ER9 cells, which express the estrogen receptor 20 times higher than those in hFOB1.19 cells. After adding the ER binding blocker, ICI-182,780, the effects of isoflavones on OPG and IL-6 production disappeared. In summary, the inhibition by dietary isoflavones of IL-6 production and the stimulation of OPG appear to be mediated, at least in part, via a genomic pathway operating through estrogen receptors and gene expression mechanisms.     

Intracrine induction of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 expression by glucocorticoid potentiates prostaglandin production in the human chorionic trophoblast

Glucocorticoids are involved in the modulation of the release of parturition hormones from the fetal membranes and placenta, where their actions are determined by the prereceptor glucocorticoid metabolizing enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD). Two distinct isozymes of 11beta-HSD have been characterized. In the fetal membranes, 11beta-HSD1 is the predominate isozyme; it converts biologically inert 11-ketone glucocorticoid metabolites into active glucocorticoids. Sequence analysis of the cloned 11beta-HSD1 gene revealed a putative glucocorticoid response element in the promoter region. However, whether glucocorticoids modulate 11beta-HSD1 expression in the fetal membranes is unknown. In this study, 11beta-HSD1 and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) were coexpressed in the chorionic trophoblast. Radiometric conversion assay and Northern blot analysis revealed that both 11beta-HSD1 reductase activity and mRNA levels were increased by dexamethasone (1 microM, 0.1 microM) in the cultured chorionic trophoblast, and the effects were blocked by GR antagonist RU486 (1 microM). Prior induction of 11beta-HSD1 by dexamethasone potentiated the subsequent stimulation of prostaglandin H synthetase 2 expression and secretion of prostaglandin E(2) by cortisone in the chorionic trophoblast. There is colocalization of 11beta-HSD1 and GR in the chorionic trophoblast. By binding to GR, glucocorticoids induce the expression of 11beta-HSD1 by a possible intracrine mechanism, thereby amplifying the actions of glucocorticoids on prostaglandin production in the fetal membranes. This cascade of events initiated by glucocorticoids may play an important role in the positive feed-forward mechanisms of labor.     

Function of the c-Myc antagonist Mad1 during a molecular switch from proliferation to differentiation.

Mad-Max heterodimers have been shown to antagonize Myc transforming activity by a mechanism requiring multiple protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions. However, the mechanism by which Mad functions in differentiation is unknown. Here, we present evidence that Mad functions by an active repression mechanism to antagonize the growth-promoting function(s) of Myc and bring about a transition from cellular proliferation to differentiation. We demonstrate that exogenously expressed c-Myc blocks inducer-mediated differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells without disrupting the induction of endogenous Mad; rather, high levels of c-Myc prevent a heterocomplex switch from growth-promoting Myc-Max to growth-inhibitory Mad-Max. Cotransfection of a constitutive c-myc with a zinc-inducible mad1 results in clones expressing both genes, whereby a switch from proliferation to differentiation can be modulated. Whereas cells grown in N'N'-hexamethylene bisacetamide in the absence of zinc fail to differentiate, addition of zinc up-regulates Mad expression by severalfold and differentiation proceeds normally. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis reveals that Mad-Max complexes are in excess of Myc-Max in these cotransfectants. Moreover, we show that the Sin-binding, basic region, and leucine zipper motifs are required for Mad to function during a molecular switch from proliferation to differentiation.