Genetics of Neuroendocrine Factors in Rheumatoid Arthritis

M. Mravcova; L. Chovanova; L. Paulikova; M. Vlcek; J. Rovensky; Z. Killinger; J. Wendl; R. Imrich

doi:10.1055/s-0034-1395667

Hormone and Metabolic Research, Table of Contents

Horm Metab Res 2015; 47(06): 411-417
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1395667

Review

Genetics of Neuroendocrine Factors in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Authors

M. Mravcova

¹Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
L. Chovanova

¹Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

²Center for Molecular Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
L. Paulikova

²Center for Molecular Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
M. Vlcek

¹Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

²Center for Molecular Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
J. Rovensky

³National Institute of Rheumatic Diseases, Piestany, Slovakia
Z. Killinger

⁴5th Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
J. Wendl

⁵Fidelitas, s.r.o., Rheumatology Out-patient Clinic, Bratislava, Slovakia
R. Imrich

¹Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

²Center for Molecular Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

Abstract

Inadequate production of cortisol related to inflammation and decrease in adrenal androgen production are hallmarks of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-related endocrine findings in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In particular, lower dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels were consistently found in a subset of premenopausal RA females. Recently, several new gene variants have been identified in association with serum DHEAS concentrations, such as in SULT2A1 and HHEX genes. These DHEAS-related genes and other variants involved in HPA regulation may play a role in the adrenal androgen deficiency in RA. The aim of our study was to review involvement of genetic mechanisms of HPA regulation, with focus on adrenal androgens, in the context of RA pathophysiology. Although, effects of the DHEAS-related gene variants appear to be relatively small compared to other well-known factors such as age, complex interactions between DHEAS-associated genotypes and adrenal androgen hypofunction phenotype may exist in RA. Further studies analyzing specific neuroendocrine phenotype/genotype in RA are needed.

Key words

dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate - hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis - androgens - gene polymorphism

Full Text

References

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