Global deletion of 11β-HSD1 prevents muscle wasting associated with glucocorticoid therapy in polyarthritis

Justine M. Webster*, Michael S. Sagmeister, Chloe G. Fenton, Alex P. Seabright, Yu Chiang Lai, Simon W. Jones, Andrew Filer, Mark S. Cooper, Gareth G. Lavery, Karim Raza, Ramon Langen, Rowan S. Hardy

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

Glucocorticoids provide indispensable anti-inflammatory therapies. However, metabolic adverse effects including muscle wasting restrict their use. The enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) modulates peripheral glucocorticoid responses through pre-receptor metabolism. This study investigates how 11β-HSD1 influences skeletal muscle responses to glucocorticoid therapy for chronic inflammation. We assessed human skeletal muscle biopsies from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis for 11β-HSD1 activity ex vivo. Using the TNF-α-transgenic mouse model (TNF-tg) of chronic inflammation, we examined the effects of corticosterone treatment and 11β-HSD1 global knock-out (11βKO) on skeletal muscle, measuring anti-inflammatory gene expression, muscle weights, fiber size distribution, and catabolic pathways. Muscle 11β-HSD1 activity was elevated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and correlated with inflammation markers. In murine skeletal muscle, glucocorticoid administration suppressed IL6 expression in TNF-tg mice but not in TNF-tg11βKO mice. TNF-tg mice exhibited reductions in muscle weight and fiber size with glucocorticoid therapy. In contrast, TNF-tg11βKO mice were protected against glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy. Glucocorticoid-mediated activation of catabolic mediators (FoxO1, Trim63) was also diminished in TNF-tg11βKO compared to TNF-tg mice. In summary, 11β-HSD1 knock-out prevents muscle atrophy associated with glucocorticoid therapy in a model of chronic inflammation. Targeting 11β-HSD1 may offer a strategy to refine the safety of glucocorticoids.
Original languageEnglish
Article number7828
Number of pages14
JournalInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences
Volume22
Issue number15
Early online date22 Jul 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 Jul 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the Arthritis Research UK grants number 19859 & 20843. MSS is funded by MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship (MR/T008172/1). KR and AF are supported by the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre. Acknowledgments: We would like to thank George Kollias (Biomedical Sciences Research Center ?Alexander Fleming?, Athens, Greece) for providing the hTNFtg mice, the Biomedical Services Unit (University of Birmingham) for supporting animal experiments and the Department of Musculo-skeletal Pathology (Robert Aitken Institute, University of Birmingham) for embedding and cutting tissue for histology. We would also like to acknowledge the Research into Inflammatory Arthritis Centre Versus Arthritis and the MRC Arthritis Research UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research in supporting this work.

Funding Information:
Funding: This research was funded by the Arthritis Research UK grants number 19859 & 20843. MSS is funded by MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship (MR/T008172/1). KR and AF are sup‐ ported by the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre.

Keywords

  • 11beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1
  • Adverse effects
  • Inflammation
  • Myopathy
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Sarcopenia
  • Steroids

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Catalysis
  • Molecular Biology
  • Spectroscopy
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry

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