Targeted analysis of Ubiquitin-Specific Peptidase (USP8) in a population of Iranian people with Cushing's disease and a systematic review of the literature

• Published in: BMC endocrine disorders Vol. 24; no. 1; p. 86
• Main Authors: Hashemi-Madani, Nahid, Cheraghi, Sara, Emami, Zahra, Mehrjardi, Ali Zare, Kaynama, Mahmoud Reza, Khamseh, Mohammad E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 11-06-2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: ACTH; ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma - drug therapy; ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma - genetics; ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma - pathology; Adenoma; Adrenocorticotropic hormone; Adult; Analysis; Biomarkers; Care and treatment; Cell cycle; Cell proliferation; Clinical outcomes; Corticotroph adenoma; Cushing syndrome; Cushing’s disease; Diseases; DNA sequencing; Endopeptidases - genetics; Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport - genetics; Epidermal growth factor; Epidermal growth factor receptors; Female; Gefitinib; Gene deletion; Genetic analysis; Genetic aspects; Genotypes; Hormones; Humans; Iran - epidemiology; Literature reviews; Male; Middle Aged; Middle Eastern People; Mutation; Nucleotide sequencing; Patients; Phenotypes; Pituitary; Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion - drug therapy; Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion - genetics; Pyrazine; Remission (Medicine); Surgery; Systematic Review; Tumorigenesis; Tumors; Ubiquitin; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase - genetics; Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 48 (USP 48); Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 8 (USP8); Iran; Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 48 (USP 48); Mutation; Cushing’s disease; Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 8 (USP8); Corticotroph adenoma
• ISSN: 1472-6823; 1472-6823
• DOI: 10.1186/s12902-024-01619-z

Activating mutation in Ubiquitin-specific peptidase (USP8) is identified to enhance cell proliferation and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion from corticotroph pituitary adenoma. We investigated the USP8 variant status in a population of Iranian people with functional corticotroph pituitary adenoma (FCPA). Moreover, a systematic review was conducted to thoroughly explore the role of USP8 variants and the related pathways in corticotroph adenomas, genotype-phenotype correlation in USP8-mutated individuals with FCPA, and the potential role of USP8 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as targeted therapies in PFCAs.
Genetic analysis of 20 tissue samples from 19 patients with PFCAs was performed using Sanger sequencing. Moreover, a systematic literature review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, web of Sciences, and Cochrane databases were searched. The last search was performed on 20 September 2023 for all databases.
In our series, we found two somatic mutations including a 7-bp deletion variant: c.2151_2157delCTCCTCC, p. Ser718GlnfsTer3, and a missense variant: c.2159 C > G, p. Pro720Arg (rs672601311) in exon 14. The Systematic review indicated USP8 variant in 35% of corticotroph adenomas, with the highest frequency (25%) in 720 code regions, p. Pro720Arg. Data regarding the impact of USP8 mutational status on clinical characteristics and outcomes in FCPAs are inconsistent. Moreover, Pasireotide as well as inhibitors of EGFR such as Gefitinib and Lapatinib, as well as USP8 inhibitors including -ehtyloxyimino9H-indeno (1, 2-b) pyrazine-2, 3-dicarbonitrile, DUBs-IN-2, and RA-9 indicated promising results in treatment of corticotroph adenomas.
Although the USP8-EGFR system has been identified as the main trigger and target of corticotroph tumorigenesis, more precise multicenter studies are required to yield more consistent information regarding the phenotype-genotype correlation and to develop effective targeted therapies.