Genetic backgrounds and clinical characteristics of congenital neutropenias in Israel.

BACKGROUND: Congenital neutropenias are characterized by severe infections and a high risk of myeloid transformation; the causative genes vary across ethnicities. The Israeli population is characterized by an ethnically diverse population with a high rate of consanguinity. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and genetic spectrum of congenital neutropenias in Israel. METHODS: We included individuals with congenital neutropenias listed in the Israeli Inherited Bone Marrow Failure Registry. Sanger sequencing was performed for ELANE or G6PC3, and patients with wild-type ELANE/G6PC3 were referred for next-generation sequencing. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients with neutropenia were included. Of 51 patients with severe congenital neutropenia, 34 were genetically diagnosed, most commonly with variants in ELANE (15 patients). Nine patients had biallelic variants in G6PC3, all of consanguineous Muslim Arab origin. Other genes involved were SRP54, JAGN1, TAZ, and SLC37A4. Seven patients had cyclic neutropenia, all with pathogenic variants in ELANE, and seven had Shwachman-Diamond syndrome caused by biallelic SBDS variants. Eight patients (12%) developed myeloid transformation, including six patients with an unknown underlying genetic cause. Nineteen (29%) patients underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, mostly due to insufficient response to treatment with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor or due to myeloid transformation. CONCLUSIONS: The genetic spectrum of congenital neutropenias in Israel is characterized by a high prevalence of G6PC3 variants and an absence of HAX1 mutations. Similar to other registries, for 26% of the patients, a molecular diagnosis was not achieved. However, myeloid transformation was common in this group, emphasizing the need for close follow-up.

Biallelic hypomorphic variants in CAD cause uridine-responsive macrocytic anaemia with elevated haemoglobin-A2.

Biallelic pathogenic variants in CAD, that encode the multienzymatic protein required for de-novo pyrimidine biosynthesis, cause early infantile epileptic encephalopathy-50. This rare disease, characterized by developmental delay, intractable seizures and anaemia, is amenable to treatment with uridine. We present a patient with macrocytic anaemia, elevated haemoglobin-A2 levels, anisocytosis, poikilocytosis and target cells in the blood smear, and mild developmental delay. A next-generation sequencing panel revealed biallelic variants in CAD. Functional studies did not support complete abrogation of protein function; however, the patient responded to uridine supplement. We conclude that biallelic hypomorphic CAD variants may cause a primarily haematological phenotype.

Syndromes predisposing to leukemia are a major cause of inherited cytopenias in children.

Prolonged cytopenias are a non-specific sign with a wide differential diagnosis. Among inherited disorders, cytopenias predisposing to leukemia require a timely and accurate diagnosis to ensure appropriate medical management, including adequate monitoring and stem cell transplantation prior to the development of leukemia. We aimed to define the types and prevalences of the genetic causes leading to persistent cytopenias in children. The study comprises children with persistent cytopenias, myelodysplastic syndrome, aplastic anemia, or suspected inherited bone marrow failure syndromes, who were referred for genetic evaluation from all pediatric hematology centers in Israel during 2016-2019. For variant detection, we used Sanger sequencing of commonly mutated genes and a custom-made targeted next-generation sequencing panel covering 226 genes known to be mutated in inherited cytopenias; the minority subsequently underwent whole exome sequencing. In total, 189 children with persistent cytopenias underwent a genetic evaluation. Pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants were identified in 59 patients (31.2%), including 47 with leukemia predisposing syndromes. Most of the latter (32, 68.1%) had inherited bone marrow failure syndromes, nine (19.1%) had inherited thrombocytopenia predisposing to leukemia, and three each (6.4%) had predisposition to myelodysplastic syndrome or congenital neutropenia. Twelve patients had cytopenias with no known leukemia predisposition, including nine children with inherited thrombocytopenia and three with congenital neutropenia. In summary, almost one third of 189 children referred with persistent cytopenias had an underlying inherited disorder; 79.7% of whom had a germline predisposition to leukemia. Precise diagnosis of children with cytopenias should direct follow-up and management programs and may positively impact disease outcome.

Congenital thrombocytopenia associated with a heterozygous variant in the MEIS1 gene encoding a transcription factor essential for megakaryopoiesis.

The transcription factor MEIS1 (myeloid ectotrophic insertion site 1) is crucial for the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells and for megakaryopoiesis. Germline variants in MEIS1 are associated with restless-leg syndrome, but were not previously shown to cause cytopenias. This is the first report of a patient with congenital thrombocytopenia associated with a sequence variant in MEIS1, presenting with early onset severe thrombocytopenia and mild signs of bone marrow stress. Whole exome sequencing revealed a de novo monoallelic splice site variant in MEIS1, NM_002398.3:exon4:c.432 + 5 G > C, leading to a premature stop codon. We propose that heterozygous mutations in MEIS1 may cause congenital thrombocytopenia.

ETV6-NCOA2 fusion induces T/myeloid mixed-phenotype leukemia through transformation of nonthymic hematopoietic progenitor cells.

Mixed-phenotype acute leukemia is a rare subtype of leukemia in which both myeloid and lymphoid markers are co-expressed on the same malignant cells. The pathogenesis is largely unknown, and the treatment is challenging. We previously reported the specific association of the recurrent t(8;12)(q13;p13) chromosomal translocation that creates the ETV6-NCOA2 fusion with T/myeloid leukemias. Here we report that ETV6-NCOA2 initiates T/myeloid leukemia in preclinical models; ectopic expression of ETV6-NCOA2 in mouse bone marrow hematopoietic progenitors induced T/myeloid lymphoma accompanied by spontaneous Notch1-activating mutations. Similarly, cotransduction of human cord blood CD34+ progenitors with ETV6-NCOA2 and a nontransforming NOTCH1 mutant induced T/myeloid leukemia in immunodeficient mice; the immunophenotype and gene expression pattern were similar to those of patient-derived ETV6-NCOA2 leukemias. Mechanistically, we show that ETV6-NCOA2 forms a transcriptional complex with ETV6 and the histone acetyltransferase p300, leading to derepression of ETV6 target genes. The expression of ETV6-NCOA2 in human and mouse nonthymic hematopoietic progenitor cells induces transcriptional dysregulation, which activates a lymphoid program while failing to repress the expression of myeloid genes such as CSF1 and MEF2C. The ETV6-NCOA2 induced arrest at an early immature T-cell developmental stage. The additional acquisition of activating NOTCH1 mutations transforms the early immature ETV6-NCOA2 cells into T/myeloid leukemias. Here, we describe the first preclinical model to depict the initiation of T/myeloid leukemia by a specific somatic genetic aberration.

Cdan1 Is Essential for Primitive Erythropoiesis.

Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type I (CDA I) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by moderate to severe macrocytic anemia and pathognomonic morphologic abnormalities of the erythroid precursors, including spongy heterochromatin. The disease is mainly caused by mutations in CDAN1 (encoding for Codanin-1). No patients with homozygous null type mutations have been described, and mouse null mutants die during early embryogenesis prior to the initiation of erythropoiesis. The cellular functions of Codanin-1 and the erythroid specificity of the phenotype remain elusive. To investigate the role of Codanin-1 in erythropoiesis, we crossed mice carrying the Cdan1 floxed allele (Cdan fl/fl ) with mice expressing Cre-recombinase under regulation of the erythropoietin receptor promoter (ErGFPcre). The resulting CdanΔEry transgenic embryos died at mid-gestation (E12.5-E13.5) from severe anemia, with very low numbers of circulating erythroblast. Transmission electron microscopy studies of primitive erythroblasts (E9.5) revealed the pathognomonic spongy heterochromatin. The morphology of CdanΔEry primitive erythroblasts demonstrated progressive development of dyserythropoiesis. Annexin V staining showed increases in both early and late-apoptotic erythroblasts compared to controls. Flow cytometry studies using the erythroid-specific cell-surface markers CD71 and Ter119 demonstrated that CdanΔEry erythroid progenitors do not undergo the semi-synchronous maturation characteristic of primitive erythroblasts. Gene expression studies aimed to evaluate the effect of Cdan1 depletion on erythropoiesis revealed a delay of ζ to α globin switch compared to controls. We also found increased expression of Gata2, Pu.1, and Runx1, which are known to inhibit terminal erythroid differentiation. Consistent with this data, our zebrafish model showed increased gata2 expression upon cdan1 knockdown. In summary, we demonstrated for the first time that Cdan1 is required for primitive erythropoiesis, while providing two experimental models for studying the role of Codanin-1 in erythropoiesis and in the pathogenesis of CDA type I.

Pediatric myelodysplastic syndrome with inflammatory manifestations: Diagnosis, genetics, treatment, and outcome.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory manifestations (IM) are well described in adult patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), but the presentation is highly variable and no standardized treatment exists. This phenomenon is rarely reported in children. As more pediatric patients are hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) candidates, the role of anti-inflammatory treatment in relation to HSCT should be defined. PROCEDURE: Here, we report a series of five children from a tertiary center. We describe the clinical presentation, molecular findings, and treatment options. RESULTS: All patients presented with advanced MDS with blast percentages ranging 10-30%, all had severe IM. One patient had MDS secondary to severe congenital neutropenia, the other four patients had presumably primary MDS. All four were found to harbor a PTPN11 gene driver mutation, which is found in 35% of cases of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML). The mutation was present in the myeloid lineage but not in T lymphocytes. Three had symptoms of Behcet's-like disease with trisomy 8 in their bone marrow. All patients were treated with anti-inflammatory medications (mainly systemic steroids) in an attempt to bring them to allogeneic HSCT in a better clinical condition. All demonstrated clinical improvement as well as regression in their MDS status post anti-inflammatory treatment. All have recovered from both MDS and their inflammatory symptoms post HSCT. CONCLUSION: Primary pediatric MDS with IM is driven in some cases by PTPN11 mutations, and might be on the clinical spectrum of JMML. Anti-inflammatory treatment may reverse MDS progression and improve the outcome of subsequent HSCT.

Incorporation of somatic panels for the detection of haematopoietic transformation in children and young adults with leukaemia predisposition syndromes and with acquired cytopenias.

Detection of somatic mutations may help verify the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in patients with persistent cytopenias or with MDS-predisposition syndromes, prior to the development of overt leukemia. However, the spectrum and consequences of acquired changes in paediatric patients have not been fully evaluated, and especially not in the context of an underlying syndrome. We incorporated a targeted next-generation-sequencing panel of 54 genes for the detection of somatic mutations in paediatric and young adult patients with inherited or acquired cytopenias. Sixty-five patients were included in this study, of whom 17 (26%) had somatic mutations. We detected somatic mutations in 20% of individuals with inherited MDS-predisposition syndromes, including in patients with severe congenital neutropenia and Fanconi anaemia, and with germline mutations in SAMD9L. Thirty-eight per cent of children with acquired cytopenias and suspected MDS had somatic changes, most commonly in genes related to signal transduction and transcription. Molecularly abnormal clones often preceded cytogenetic changes. Thus, routine performance of somatic panels can establish the diagnosis of MDS and determine the optimal timing of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, prior to the development of leukaemia. In addition, performing somatic panels in patients with inherited MDS-predisposition syndromes may reveal their unique spectrum of acquired mutations.

Characterization of the interactions between Codanin-1 and C15Orf41, two proteins implicated in congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type I disease.

BACKGROUND: Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type I (CDA I), is an autosomal recessive disease with macrocytic anemia in which erythroid precursors in the bone marrow exhibit pathognomonic abnormalities including spongy heterochromatin and chromatin bridges. We have shown previously that the gene mutated in CDA I encodes Codanin-1, a ubiquitously expressed and evolutionarily conserved large protein. Recently, an additional etiologic factor for CDA I was reported, C15Orf41, a predicted nuclease. Mutations in both CDAN1 and C15Orf41 genes results in very similar erythroid phenotype. However, the possible relationships between these two etiologic factors is not clear. RESULTS: We demonstrate here that Codanin-1 and C15Orf41 bind to each other, and that Codanin-1 stabilizes C15Orf41. C15Orf41 protein is mainly nuclear and Codanin-1 overexpression shifts it to the cytoplasm. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that even though Codanin-1 is an essential protein in mammals, it was lost from several diverse and unrelated animal taxa. Interestingly, C15Orf41 was eliminated in the exact same animal taxa. This is an extreme case of the Phylogenetic Profiling phenomenon, which strongly suggests common pathways for these two proteins. Lastly, as the 3D structure is more conserved through evolution than the protein sequence, we have used the Phyre2 alignment program to find structurally homologous proteins. We found that Codanin-1 is highly similar to CNOT1, a conserved protein which serves as a scaffold for proteins involved in mRNA stability and transcriptional control. CONCLUSIONS: The physical interaction and the stabilization of C15Orf41 by Codanin-1, combined with the phylogenetic co-existence and co-loss of these two proteins during evolution, suggest that the major function of the presumptive scaffold protein, Codanin-1, is to regulate C15Orf41 activities. The similarity between Codanin-1 and CNOT1 suggest that Codanin-1 is involved in RNA metabolism and activity, and opens up a new avenue for the study of the molecular pathways affected in CDAI.

Alpha-Thalassemia Carrier due to -α3.7 Deletion: Not So Silent.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Alpha-thalassemia is one of the most prevalent genetic diseases, with the -α3.7 deletion being the most common mutation. Molecular studies have suggested mechanisms to explain the mild phenotype of "silent carrier" heterozygotes. However, the correlation between the clinical laboratory picture and the -α3.7 heterozygous state remains unclear, thus we chose to investigate. METHODS: We analyzed the medical files of 192 children evaluated for microcytosis at our tertiary center between 2007 and 2017 and diagnosed as heterozygotes for the -α3.7 deletion. Additional α-thalassemia mutations, iron deficiency anemia, and ß-thalassemia were ruled out. Laboratory parameters were compared to age- and sex-matched reference values. RESULTS: The -α3.7 carriers had significantly lower Hb and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) than the reference population, and significantly higher red blood cell counts across all age groups. The greatest reduction in Hb level appeared among male adolescents, while MCV was consistently 2 SDs lower than normal in most patients older than 2 years. CONCLUSION: Heterozygosity for the -α3.7 deletion was associated with clinically significant microcytosis and mild anemia in our pediatric population. In the absence of iron deficiency and ß-thalassemia, this finding provides a diagnosis for mild microcytic anemia, making additional investigations of microcytosis unnecessary.

Characterization and genotype-phenotype correlation of patients with Fanconi anemia in a multi-ethnic population.

Fanconi anemia (FA), an inherited bone marrow failure (BMF) syndrome, caused by mutations in DNA repair genes, is characterized by congenital anomalies, aplastic anemia, high risk of malignancies and extreme sensitivity to alkylating agents. We aimed to study the clinical presentation, molecular diagnosis and genotype-phenotype correlation among patients with FA from the Israeli inherited BMF registry. Overall, 111 patients of Arab (57%) and Jewish (43%) descent were followed for a median of 15 years (range: 0.1-49); 63% were offspring of consanguineous parents. One-hundred patients (90%) had at least one congenital anomaly; over 80% of the patients developed bone marrow failure; 53% underwent hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation; 33% of the patients developed cancer; no significant association was found between hematopoietic stem-cell transplant and solid tumor development. Nearly 95% of the patients tested had confirmed mutations in the Fanconi genes FANCA (67%), FANCC (13%), FANCG (14%), FANCJ (3%) and FANCD1 (2%), including twenty novel mutations. Patients with FANCA mutations developed cancer at a significantly older age compared to patients with mutations in other Fanconi genes (mean 18.5 and 5.2 years, respectively, P=0.001); however, the overall survival did not depend on the causative gene. We hereby describe a large national cohort of patients with FA, the vast majority genetically diagnosed. Our results suggest an older age for cancer development in patients with FANCA mutations and no increased incidence of solid tumors following hematopoietic stem-cell transplant. Further studies are needed to guide individual treatment and follow-up programs.

Targeted next generation sequencing for the diagnosis of patients with rare congenital anemias.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with anemia are diagnosed through clinical phenotype and basic laboratory testing. Nonetheless, in cases of rare congenital anemias, some patients remain undiagnosed despite undergoing an exhaustive workup. Genetic testing is complicated by the large number of genes involved in rare anemias and the similarities in the clinical presentation of the different syndromes. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to enhance the diagnosis of patients with congenital anemias by using targeted next-generation sequencing. METHODS: Genetic diagnosis was performed by gene capture followed by next-generation sequencing of 76 genes known to cause anemia syndromes. RESULTS: Genetic diagnosis was achieved in 13 out of 21 patients (62%). Six patients were diagnosed with pyruvate kinase deficiency, 4 with dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis, 2 with sideroblastic anemia, and 1 with CDA type IV. Eight novel mutations were found. In 7 patients, the genetic diagnosis differed from the pretest presumed diagnosis. The mean lag time from presentation to diagnosis was over 13 years. CONCLUSIONS: Targeted next-generation sequencing led to an accurate diagnosis in over 60% of patients with rare anemias. These patients do not need further diagnostic workup. Earlier incorporation of this method into the workup of patients with congenital anemia may improve patients' care and enable genetic counseling.

Whole-exome sequencing identifies an α-globin cluster triplication resulting in increased clinical severity of ß-thalassemia.

Whole-exome sequencing (WES) has been increasingly useful for the diagnosis of patients with rare causes of anemia, particularly when there is an atypical clinical presentation or targeted genotyping approaches are inconclusive. Here, we describe a 20-yr-old man with a lifelong moderate-to-severe anemia with accompanying splenomegaly who lacked a definitive diagnosis. After a thorough clinical workup and targeted genetic sequencing, we identified a paternally inherited ß-globin mutation (HBB:c.93-21G>A, IVS-I-110:G>A), a known cause of ß-thalassemia minor. As this mutation alone was inconsistent with the severity of the anemia, we performed WES. Although we could not identify any relevant pathogenic single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) or small indels, copy-number variant (CNV) analyses revealed a likely triplication of the entire α-globin cluster, which was subsequently confirmed by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. Treatment and follow-up was redefined according to the diagnosis of ß-thalassemia intermedia resulting from a single ß-thalassemia mutation in combination with an α-globin cluster triplication. Thus, we describe a case where the typical WES-based analysis of SNVs and small indels was unrevealing, but WES-based CNV analysis resulted in a definitive diagnosis that informed clinical decision-making. More generally, this case illustrates the value of performing CNV analysis when WES is otherwise unable to elucidate a clear genetic diagnosis.

Molecular diagnosis of α-thalassemia in a multiethnic population.

OBJECTIVE: α-Thalassemia, one of the most common genetic diseases, is caused by deletions or point mutations affecting one to four α-globin genes. Molecular diagnosis is important to prevent the most severe forms of the disease. However, the diagnosis of α-thalassemia is complex due to a high variability of the genetic defects involved, with over 250 described mutations. We summarize herein the findings of genetic analyses of DNA samples referred to our laboratory for the molecular diagnosis of α-thalassemia, along with a detailed clinical description. METHODS: We utilized a diagnostic algorithm including Gap-PCR, to detect known deletions, followed by sequencing of the α-globin gene, to identify known and novel point mutations, and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) for the diagnosis of rare or novel deletions. RESULTS: α-Thalassemia was diagnosed in 662 of 975 samples referred to our laboratory. Most commonly found were deletions (75.3%, including two novel deletions previously described by us); point mutations comprised 25.4% of the cases, including five novel mutations. Our population included mostly Jews (of Ashkenazi and Sephardic origin) and Muslim Arabs, who presented with a higher rate of point mutations and hemoglobin H disease. Overall, we detected 53 different genotype combinations causing a spectrum of clinical phenotypes, from asymptomatic to severe anemia. CONCLUSION: Our work constitutes the largest group of patients with α-thalassemia originating in the Mediterranean whose clinical characteristics and molecular basis have been determined. We suggest a diagnostic algorithm that leads to an accurate molecular diagnosis in multiethnic populations.

Diamond Blackfan Anemia: A Nonclassical Patient With Diagnosis Assisted by Genomic Analysis.

Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA) is an inherited syndrome usually presenting with severe macrocytic anemia in infancy, paucity of erythroid precursors in the bone marrow, and congenital anomalies. We describe a child with mild, transfusion independent normocytic anemia whose diagnosis of DBA was established by identification of a novel de novo mutation disrupting normal splicing of the ribosomal protein RPL5. The diagnosis of DBA was confirmed by elevated erythrocyte adenosine deaminase levels and an abnormal ribosomal RNA profile. This case demonstrates the usefulness of genomic analysis in establishing the diagnosis of DBA in patients with a nonclassical presentation of the disease.

Characterization of two unique α-globin gene cluster deletions causing α-thalassemia in Israeli Arabs.

The molecular basis of α-thalassemia (α-thal) is complex. The use of multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) has offered the possibility of identifying more gene deletions causing α-thal. Our objective was to determine the molecular basis of two patients with Hb H (ß4) disease. By using MLPA in combination with comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) we identified two novel α-globin gene cluster deletions: a 30 kb deletion (patient 1) we refer to as - -(JAL) and a large 216 kb deletion (patient 2) we refer to as - -(LOD). Patient 1 was a compound heterozygote for - -(JAL) and -α(3.7) (rightward deletion). Twelve family members of patient 1 carrying the - -(JAL) deletion were available for evaluation: five with - -(JAL)/-α(3.7), four with - -(JAL)/α(Hph I)α and three with - -(JAL)/αα. Their clinical picture of compound heterozygosity was compatible with moderate Hb H disease. In patient 2 (- -(LOD)/-α(3.7)), no additional symptoms were present despite the heterozygous deletion of seven known genes, three non coding RNAs (ncRNAs), four unknown genes and two pseudo genes. Further analysis of more patients with α-thal deletions will have implications for genetic counseling and appropriate therapy.

Codanin-1, the protein encoded by the gene mutated in congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type I (CDAN1), is cell cycle-regulated.

BACKGROUND: Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type I is an inherited autosomal recessive macrocytic anemia associated with ineffective erythropoiesis and the development of secondary hemochromatosis. Distinct erythroid precursors with internuclear chromatin bridges and spongy heterochromatin are pathognomonic for the disease. The mutated gene (CDAN1) encodes a ubiquitously expressed protein of unknown function, codanin-1. Based on the morphological features of congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type I erythroblasts and data on a role in cell cycle progression of codanin-1 homolog in Drosophila we investigated the cellular localization and possible involvement of codanin-1 during the cell cycle. DESIGN AND METHODS: Codanin-1 localization was studied by immunofluorescence and immune electron microscopy. Cell cycle expression of codanin-1 was evaluated using synchronized HeLa cells. E2F proteins are the main regulator of G(1)/S transition. An E2F1-inducible cell line (U20S-ER-E2F1) enabled us to study codanin-1 expression following ectopic E2F1 induction. Direct binding of E2F1 to codanin-1 promoter was assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. We used a luciferase-reporter plasmid to study activation of CDAN1 transcription by E2F1. RESULTS: We localized codanin-1 to heterochromatin in interphase cells. During the cell cycle, high levels of codanin-1 were observed in the S phase. At mitosis, codanin-1 underwent phosphorylation, which coincided with its exclusion from condensed chromosomes. The proximal CDAN1 gene promoter region, containing five putative E2F binding sites, was found to be a direct target of E2F1. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these data suggest that codanin-1 is a cell cycle-regulated protein active in the S phase. The exact role of codanin-1 during the S phase remains to be determined. Nevertheless this represents the first step towards understanding the function of the proteins involved in congenital dyserythropoietic anemia.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) attenuates cocaine-seeking behavior in the self-administration model in rats.

The aim of this study was to determine the possible involvement of the neurosteroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in cocaine-seeking behavior in a self-administration model in rats. DHEA pretreatment (continued thereafter concomitantly with cocaine self-administration) attenuated cocaine-seeking behavior and elevated the levels of dopamine and serotonin in several brain regions relevant to cocaine addiction. Chronic cocaine self-administration induced elevation in brain DHEA, its sulfate ester, DHEAS, and pregnenolone. The increased brain DHEA following cocaine self-administration may serve as a compensatory protective mechanism geared to attenuate the craving for cocaine. Such anti-craving activity is further enhanced by DHEA treatment before and during cocaine self-administration.