DeCure for Primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease
DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease — screening already-approved drugs against its 1-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease modulePrimary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease maps to a 1-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
What the evidence adds up to
Primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease is a rare cause of ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome, characterised by small to normal-sized adrenal glands containing multiple small cortical pigmented nodules. Biochemically, it presents with elevated plasma and urinary cortisol that is not suppressed by high doses of dexamethasone (8 mg per day for two days). The intervening cortical tissue between nodules is atrophic. More than ninety percent of reported cases occur as a manifestation of Carney complex, a multiple neoplasia syndrome that includes spotty skin pigmentation, myxomas, and endocrine overactivity. Molecular studies have identified defects in genes involved in the cAMP signalling pathway.
Presentation in early childhood is very rare; most cases are diagnosed in the second or third decade of life. The histology varies with age, with pigmentation increasing over time. Bilateral adrenalectomy is the treatment of choice. The 1995 case report and literature review, the 2007 review, and the 2022 report of three paediatric cases all describe the same underlying pathology and diagnostic features, with no mention of any drug therapy being tested or used.
No drug treatment for primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease is described in any of these abstracts. What is missing is any clinical trial of a medical therapy, any attempt to stratify patients by genotype or age, and any funding for research into non-surgical interventions.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Arquivos Brasileiros de Endocrinologia & Metabologia · 2007 · 31 citations · open access
Primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease and Cushing's syndrome
AbstractPrimary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD) is a form of bilateral adrenocortical hyperplasia that is often associated with corticotrophin (ACTH)-independent Cushing's syndrome (CS) and is characterized by small to normal-sized adrenal glands containing multiple small cortical pigmented nodules (1,2). PPNAD may occur in an isolated form or associated with a multiple neoplasia syndrome, the complex of spotty skin pigmentation, myxomas, and endocrine overactivity, or Carney complex, in which Cushing's syndrome is the most common endocrine manifestation (3). Molecular studies have led to the identification of several genes, defects in which may predispose PPNAD formation; all of these molecules play important role for the cAMP signaling pathway. This review intends to present the most recent knowledge of the pathology and molecular genetics of the benign bilateral adrenocortical lesions, as well as to discuss the modern tools for diagnostics and treatment of this condition.
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine · 1995 · 13 citations · open access
Cushing`s Syndrome Due To Primary Pigmented Nodular Adrenocortical Disease - A Case Report Reviews of the Literature-
AbstractPrimary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD) is a rare cause of Cushing's syndrome in infants, children and young adults. It is characterized by non-adrenocorticotropic hormone-dependent hypersecretion of cortisol by multiple, pigmented nodules of hyperplastic adrenocortical cells. Biochemically, PPNAD is characterized by elevated levels of plasma and urinary cortisol that are not suppressed by high doses of dexamethasone (8mg/d for 2 days). Pathologically, the adrenal glands contain multiple dark brown or black nodules and the intervening cortical tissue is atrophic. Recognition of this diagnosis, although rare, is important, as bilateral adrenalectomy is the treatment of choice. We experienced a case of Cushing's syndrome due to primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease and report it with reviews of the literature.
Indian Journal of Pathology and Oncology · 2022 · 0 citations · open access
Primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease: Unusual histology in children- A report of 3 cases
AbstractPrimary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD) is a rare cause of adrenocorticotropin independent Cushing Syndrome. Majority cases are diagnosed in second or third decade of life. Presentation of PPNAD in early childhood is very rare. It is characterized by adrenocorticotrophic hormone [ACTH] independent, hypersecretion of cortisol by multiple, pigmented nodules of hyperplastic adrenocortical cells. The histology varies with age, the pigmentation increasing with age. More than ninety percent of reported cases of PPNAD occur as one of the manifestation of Carney’s complex.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
