Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Reports (Mar 2017)

Sex-specific effects of serum sulfate level and SLC13A1 nonsense variants on DHEA homeostasis

  • Christina G. Tise,
  • Leslie E. Anforth,
  • Albert E. Zhou,
  • James A. Perry,
  • Patrick F. McArdle,
  • Elizabeth A. Streeten,
  • Alan R. Shuldiner,
  • Laura M. Yerges-Armstrong

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymgmr.2017.01.005
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. C
pp. 84 – 91

Abstract

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Context: Sulfate is critical in the biotransformation of multiple compounds via sulfation. These compounds include neurotransmitters, proteoglycans, xenobiotics, and hormones such as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Sulfation reactions are thought to be rate-limited by endogenous sulfate concentrations. The gene, SLC13A1, encodes the sodium-sulfate cotransporter NaS1, responsible for sulfate (re)absorption in the intestines and kidneys. We previously reported two rare, non-linked, nonsense variants in SLC13A1 (R12X and W48X) associated with hyposulfatemia (P = 9 × 10−20). Objective: To examine the effect of serum sulfate concentration and sulfate-lowering genotype on DHEA homeostasis. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Academic research. Patients: Participants of the Amish Pharmacogenomics of Anti-Platelet Intervention (PAPI) Study and the Amish Hereditary and Phenotype Intervention (HAPI) Study. Main outcome measures: DHEA, DHEA-S, and DHEA-S/DHEA ratio. Results: Increased serum sulfate was associated with decreased DHEA-S (P = 0.03) and DHEA-S/DHEA ratio (P = 0.06) in males but not females. Female SLC13A1 nonsense variant carriers, who had lower serum sulfate (P = 9 × 10−13), exhibited 14% lower DHEA levels (P = 0.01) and 7% higher DHEA-S/DHEA ratios compared to female non-carriers (P = 0.002). Consistent with this finding, female SLC13A1 nonsense variant carriers also had lower total testosterone levels compared to non-carrier females (P = 0.03). Conclusions: Our results demonstrate an inverse relationship between serum sulfate, and DHEA-S and DHEA-S/DHEA ratio in men, while also suggesting that the sulfate-lowering variants, SLC13A1 R12X and W48X, decrease DHEA and testosterone levels, and increase DHEA-S/DHEA ratio in women. While paradoxical, these results illustrate the complexity of the mechanisms involved in DHEA homeostasis and warrant additional studies to better understand sulfate's role in hormone physiology.

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