Eurycomanol alleviates hyperuricemia-induced cortisol disorders by upregulating SRD5A1 via IKKβ-IκBα-NF-κB-DNMT pathway

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a chronic metabolic disease which has been previously observed to be associated with cortisol metabolism disorders (pseudohypoadrenalism). In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy as well as mechanism of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (TkA) on alleviating cortisol metabolism. Oral administration of TkA significantly decreased serum uric acid levels and urinary cortisol in HUA mice. TkA improved HPA axis function and upregulated the levels of adrenal Hsd3b2 , Cyp21a1 and Cyp11b1 . In the liver, TkA upregulated the expression of Srd5a1 and Akr1c4 , promoting the conversion from cortisol to 5α-tetrahydrocortisol ( P  < 0.001). TNFα was found to be the principal driver of reduced SRD5A1. By activating NF-κB pathway, recruited DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) binding with the CpG islands increased methylation level of Srd5a1 . Our findings highlight that eurycomanol significantly inhibited the activation of IKKβ/IκBα/NF-κB/DNMT pathway as well as up-regulated hepatic SRD5A1, thereby restoring the systemic cortisol metabolic homeostasis under HUA.