The "backdoor pathway" of androgen synthesis in human male sexual development.

Mammalian sex determination (male versus female) is largely controlled by genes, whereas sex differentiation (development of reproductive structures) is largely controlled by hormones. Work in the 20th century indicated that female external anatomy was a "default" pathway of development not requiring steroids, whereas male genital development required testicular testosterone plus dihydrotestosterone (DHT) made in genital skin according to a "classic" pathway. Recent work added the description of an alternative "backdoor" pathway of androgen synthesis discovered in marsupials. Unique "backdoor steroids" are found in human hyperandrogenic disorders, and genetic disruption of the pathway causes disordered male sexual development, suggesting it plays an essential role. O'Shaughnessy and colleagues now show that the principal human backdoor androgen is androsterone and provide strong evidence that it derives from placental progesterone that is metabolized to androsterone in nontesticular tissues. These studies are essential to understanding human sexual development and its disorders

MON-040 11-Oxygenated C19 Steroids in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Abstract BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), an endocrine and reproductive disorder consisting of hyperandrogenism, menstrual dysfunction and ovarian changes, affects 6–20% of reproductive aged women worldwide. While hyperandrogenemia is traditionally determined by evidence of elevated testosterone (T), this hormone can be difficult to accurately measure in women with relatively lower circulating levels compared to men. Recent studies have suggested that four adrenal androgens known as 11-oxygenated C19 steroids (11OxyAs), specifically 11-ketotestosterone (11KT), may be good alternative markers for hyperandrogenism in PCOS. Using a multiethnic population seeking evaluation for PCOS symptomatology, we sought (1) to investigate the utility of 11OxyAs to differentiate women with and without NIH PCOS relative to classical androgens such as T, androstenedione (A4) and DHEAS levels, and (2) to evaluate the relationship of 11OxyAs to clinical findings of androgen excess. Methods: Using the University of California, San Francisco PCOS Tissue Bank, serum samples from 131 women seen for a PCOS evaluation were selected sequentially and identified as PCOS or non-PCOS (controls) based on meeting NIH criteria at the time of evaluation. In addition to obtaining gonadotropin and metabolic profiles, classical androgens and 11OxyAs were measured using mass spectrometry. The relationship of these androgens to modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) scores and ovarian morphology were also assessed. Results: Out of 131 women selected, 83 met NIH PCOS criteria at the time of evaluation and 48 did not (controls). Age and BMI did not differ among the two groups. As expected, total T, A4 and LH were all significantly higher in NIH PCOS. A trend towards higher HOMA-IR levels was also seen in NIH PCOS, but this did not reach statistical significance (3±3.9 mg/dL vs. 1.9±1.7 mg/dL, p = 0.12). No difference was seen in all four 11OxyAs between NIH PCOS and controls. Unlike previous studies, we also did not find mean 11KT levels to exceed that of T in both controls (T 393±143 pg/mL vs. 11KT 389±206 pg/mL) and PCOS (T 530±245 pg/mL vs. 11KT 388±201 pg/mL). In addition, no relationship was seen between HOMA-IR and 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11OHA4) or 11-ketoandrostenedione (11KA4) levels. Within PCOS, DHEAS and A4 were noted to have a weak but inverse relationship to BMI (r2 0.05 p = 0.05; r2 0.08 p = 0.007), whereas no correlation was seen between any of the four 11OxyAs or T and BMI. Lastly, 11OxyAs, T, and A4 levels did not predict mFG scores or polycystic ovarian morphology. Conclusions: 11OxyAs levels were not statistically higher among women with NIH PCOS compared to at risk women who did not meet NIH criteria. There was no significant relationship between these androgens and mFG scores or ovarian morphology. Further studies are necessary to show the utility of 11OxyAs levels as a marker for hyperandrogenism or metabolic risk

Use of Prednisone With Abiraterone Acetate in Metastatic Castration‐Resistant Prostate Cancer

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140033/1/onco1231.pd

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Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139931/1/oncoe14.pd

Perfil característico das atividades 17-hidroxilase e 17,20-liase reveladas por meio do metaboloma de esteroides urinários de pacientes com deficiência de CYP17

OBJECTIVES: (1) Characterize serum (S) and urinary (U) steroid metabolites in complete CYP17 deficiency (cCYP17D); (2) analyze the relative 17α-hydroxylase (17OH) and 17,20-lyase (17,20L) activities in vivo; and (3) comparedata from the two most prevalent mutations in Brazil. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 20 genotyped cCYP17D patients from a previously reported cohort were homozygous for W406R or R362C; 11 controls were CYP17 wild types (WT). WT and cCYP17D patients had S and U samples drawn to measure: cortisol (F), corticosterone (B), deoxycorticosterone (DOC), 18OH-B, 18OH-DOC, and 17OHP; and tetrahydro (TH)-B, THA, THDOC, THF+5α-THF, TH-cortisone, androsterone, etiocholanolone, 5-pregnenediol, 17OH-pregnenolone and pregnanetriol. RESULTS: Compared to WT, cCYP17D patients had marked elevations of B, DOC, 18OH-B and 18OH-DOC, whereas 17OHP, F and adrenal androgens (AA) were reduced; U steroids parallel S findings. Metabolite ratios revealed that both 17OH and 17,20L activities were impaired in cCYP17D. There were nodifferences between W406R andR362C mutations. CONCLUSIONS: cCYP17D patients show parallel overproduction/overexcretion of 17-deoxysteroids, and marked reduction of F and AA. In addition to 17OH, 17,20-L activity was also impaired in cCYP17D. W406 and R362C mutations disclose similar Sand U patterns.OBJETIVOS: (1) Caracterizar os esteroides séricos (S) e urinários (U) na deficiência completa da CYP17 (DcCYP17); (2) analisar as atividades da 17α-hidroxilase (17OH) e 17,20-liase (17, 20 L) in vivo; e (3) comparar as duas mutações mais prevalentes no Brasil. SUJEITOS E MÉTODOS: 20 pacientes genotipados para a DcCYP17, de uma coorte anterior, eram homozigotos para W406R ou R362C (8 cada); 11 controles eram CYP17 wild types (WT). Amostras de S e U foram colhidas dos WT e pacientes para dosagem de: cortisol (F), corticosterona (B), deoxicorticosterona (DOC), 18-OH-B, 18OH-DOC e 17OHP; e tetraidro(TH)-B, THA, TH-DOC, THF+5α-THF, THE, androsterona, etiocolanolona, 5-pregnenediol, 17OH-pregnenolona e pregnanetriol. RESULTADOS: Comparados aos WT, os pacientes com DcCYP17 revelaram elevações acentuadas de B, DOC, 18OHB e 18OHDOC, enquanto 17OHP, F e andrógenos adrenais (AA) estavam reduzidos. Os esteroides na U acompanham os achados no S. As relações de metabólitos mostraram que as atividades de 17OH e 17,20L estavam reduzidas em pacientes com DcCYP17. Não houve diferenças entre pacientes com as mutações W406R e R362C. CONCLUSÕES: Na DcCYP17, a produção e a excreção dos 17-deoxiesteroides estão aumentadas em paralelo, em contraste com a reduzida produção/excreção de F e AA. As atividades da 17OH e 17,20-L estão diminuídas na DcCYP17. As mutações W406 e R362C apresentam achados semelhantes em S e U.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Department of Medicine Division of Endocrinology and MetabolismUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Department of Clinical SciencesUniversity of Birmingham Division of Medical SciencesUNIFESP, Department of Medicine Division of Endocrinology and MetabolismSciEL

Levoketoconazole: a novel treatment for endogenous Cushing's syndrome.

Introduction: Endogenous Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a rare, life-threatening endocrine disorder that is caused by chronic exposure to cortisol overproduction. Levoketoconazole (Recorlev), a 2S, 4R stereoisomer of ketoconazole, is a steroidogenesis inhibitor under investigation for the treatment of CS. Areas covered: This review covers the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of levoketoconazole for the treatment of patients with endogenous CS. Expert opinion: Based on the preclinical and clinical pharmacology findings, levoketoconazole appears to be the relevant enantiomer of ketoconazole for inhibition of steroidogenesis, with more potent inhibition of both cortisol and androgen synthesis relative to ketoconazole racemate and the 2R, 4S stereoisomer dextroketoconazole. Results from the phase III SONICS study showed that levoketoconazole was effective in normalizing cortisol levels and improving biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in a significant percentage of patients. In addition, treatment with levoketoconazole showed improvements in subjective clinical assessments of clinician-rated CS clinical signs and symptoms, patient-reported quality of life, and depression symptom severity. Testosterone levels decreased significantly in women. Levoketoconazole had an acceptable safety profile with no unexpected safety signals. The favorable pharmacology, efficacy, and safety profile of levoketoconazole supports its use as medical therapy for CS, if approved

Development and Validation of a Novel LC–MS/MS Method for Simultaneous Determination of Abiraterone and its Seven Steroidal Metabolites in Human Serum: Innovation in Separation of Diastereoisomers Without Use of a Chiral Column

Abiraterone acetate (AA), the prodrug of abiraterone, is FDA-approved for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Abiraterone is metabolized in patients to a more potent analogue, D4A. However, we have recently reported that this analogue is further metabolized to additional metabolites in patients treated with AA. Here, we present a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method developed to resolve and detect abiraterone and its seven metabolites in human serum using an AB Sciex Qtrap 5500 mass analyzer coupled with a Shimadzu Nexera UPLC station. Analytes and the internal standard (abiraterone-d4) were extracted from human serum using the liquid–liquid extraction procedure. The analytes were separated using a Zorbax Eclipse Plus C18 150 × 2.1 mm, 3.5 μm column at 40 °C and an isocratic mobile phase 35% A (0.1% formic acid in water), 65% B (0.1% formic acid in methanol:acetonitrile; 60:40). Electrospray ionization in positive mode was applied with multiple reaction monitoring in a total run time of 13 min. Abiraterone detection was linear in the range 2–400 ng/mL and all metabolites from 0.1–20 ng/mL. The method was validated following US FDA guidelines for bioanalytical method validation, and all the metabolite results were within the acceptance limits. Despite the similarity in structure and mass transition between the metabolites, the validated method separated all the metabolites, including diastereomers, to allow accurate identification and quantitation of each compound

Human cytochrome P450 17A1 structures with metabolites of prostate cancer drug abiraterone reveal substrate-binding plasticity and a second binding site

Abiraterone acetate is a first-line therapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer. This prodrug is deacetylated in vivo to abiraterone, which is a potent and specific inhibitor of cytochrome P450 17A1 (CYP17A1). CYP17A1 performs two sequential steps that are required for the biosynthesis of androgens that drive prostate cancer proliferation, analogous to estrogens in breast cancer. Abiraterone can be further metabolized in vivo on the steroid A ring to multiple metabolites that also inhibit CYP17A1. Despite its design as an active-site–directed substrate analog, abiraterone and its metabolites demonstrate mixed competitive/noncompetitive inhibition. To understand their binding, we solved the X-ray structures of CYP17A1 with three primary abiraterone metabolites. Despite different conformations of the steroid A ring and substituents, all three bound in the CYP17A1 active site with the steroid core packed against the I helix and the A ring C3 keto or hydroxyl oxygen forming a hydrogen bond with N202 similar to abiraterone itself. The structure of CYP17A1 with 3-keto, 5α-abiraterone was solved to 2.0 Å, the highest resolution to date for a CYP17A1 complex. This structure had additional electron density near the F/G loop, which is likely a second molecule of the inhibitor and which may explain the noncompetitive inhibition. Mutation of the adjacent Asn52 to Tyr positions its side chain in this space, maintains enzyme activity, and prevents binding of the peripheral ligand. Collectively, our findings provide further insight into abiraterone metabolite binding and CYP17A1 function

Deficiência combinada de 17α-hidroxilase/17,20 liase devido à mutação p.R96W no gene CYP17 em um paciente brasileiro

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) resulting from 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disease and the second most common form of CAH in Brazil. We describe the case of a Brazilian patient with CYP17 deficiency (17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency) caused by a homozygous p.R96W mutation on exon 1 of the CYP17 gene, an unusual genotype in Brazilian patients with this form of CAH. The patient, raised as a normal female, sought medical care for lack of pubertal signs and primary amenorrhea at the age of 16 years. At evaluation, the presence of a 46,XY karyotype, hypertension and hypokalemia were observed. We emphasize the recognition of CYP17 deficiency in the differential diagnosis of cases of hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism and hypertension in young patients who need specific treatment for both situations.A hiperplasia adrenal congênita (HAC), em razão da deficiência de 17α-hidroxilase/17,20-liase, é uma doença autossômica recessiva rara e a segunda causa mais comum de HAC no Brasil. Descrevemos o caso de um paciente brasileiro portador da deficiência 17α-hidroxilase/17,20- liase (CYP17) em homozigose para a mutação p.R96W no éxon 1 do gene da CYP17A1, uma mutação incomum entre os casos brasileiros descritos com essa forma de HAC. Esse paciente, criado como um indivíduo normal do sexo feminino, procurou atendimento por ausência de sinais puberais e amenorreia primária aos 16 anos de idade. Durante a avaliação, constataram-se um cariótipo 46,XY e a presença de hipertensão e hipocalemia. Enfatizamos o reconhecimento da deficiência da CYP17 dentre os possíveis diagnósticos em um paciente jovem com hipogonadismo hipergonadotrófico e hipertensão, os quais necessitam de tratamento particularizado para ambas as situações.Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Hospital de Clínicas de Porto AlegreUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Department of MedicineUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Department of Internal MedicineUNIFESP, EPM, Department of MedicineSciEL