Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0848237 (acute stress)
 4,619 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In this study, the expression of several genes involved in cortisol synthesis in head kidneys, the site of cortisol production, and in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was examined in response to two different acute stressors and an acute ACTH treatment. mRNAs levels of the "steroidogenic acute regulatory" (StAR) sterol transport protein, which transports cholesterol to the inner mitochondrial membrane as well as cytochrome P450 cholesterol side chain cleavage (P450(SCC)) were determined in head kidney (containing the interrenal tissue). In one experiment, we also quantified 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3B-HSD) and cytochrome P450(11beta) (11B-H) mRNAs. The presence of these four transcripts in the head kidney was confirmed by Northern blot analysis. For each stress condition, mRNA levels were quantified by quantitative or real-time RT-PCR. The results of these two methods were highly correlated. An acute stress induced by capture, short confinement (2min), and anesthesia (3min) resulted in significant elevation of plasma cortisol (30-fold higher than controls) and an increase in levels of StAR and P450(SCC) mRNAs 3h post-stress. When fish were submitted to an acute stress caused by 5min of chase with a net in a tank, plasma cortisol reached a peak within 1h, but after 3h, levels were only 5-fold higher in stressed trout than in controls and no variations in the expression of StAR, P450(SCC), 3B-HSD, and 11B-H were observed whatever the time post-stress. One hour after acute ACTH stimulation (5IU/kg), plasma cortisol level was 4-fold higher than in control trout and no changes in StAR and P450(SCC) mRNAs levels were detected. The data suggest that the high levels of cortisol after stress need an activation of genes involved in cortisol synthesis, but lower levels do not. Futhermore, under these three test conditions, we always found a strong positive correlation between mRNA levels of StAR and P450(SCC), in contrast to what has been described in mammals. Consequently, the absence of transcription activation with low increase in cortisol levels suggests that other levels of regulation, particularly activation of pre-existing proteins, govern cortisol production.
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PMID:Relationship between changes in mRNAs of the genes encoding steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and P450 cholesterol side chain cleavage in head kidney and plasma levels of cortisol in response to different kinds of acute stress in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). 1464 46

Stress impacts the reproductive axis at the level of the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, which exert an effect on the ovary. Menstruation is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovary (HPO) axis. However, the role of stress in menstruation remains unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the role of stress in endometrial breakdown and shedding, using the pseudopregnant mouse menstrual-like model. Female mice were mated with vasectomized males and labeled day 0.5, upon observation of a vaginal seminal plug. On day 3.5, decidualization was induced in pseudopregnant mice using arachis oil. On day 5.5, pseudopregnant mice with artificial decidualization were placed in restraint tubes for 3 h. The findings indicated that acute restraint stress resulted in the disintegration of the endometrium. While corticosterone concentration in the serum increased significantly due to restraint stress, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone (P4) levels in the serum decreased significantly. An endometrial histology examination indicated that progesterone implants may rescue P4 decline caused by acute stress and block endometrium breakdown and shedding. In addition, mice were treated with metyrapone, an inhibitor of corticosterone synthesis, 1 h prior to being subjected to restraint stress. Interestingly, metyrapone not only inhibited stress-induced endometrium breakdown and shedding, but also prevented stress-induced reduction of P4, LH and FSH. Furthermore, real-time PCR and western blot showed that mRNA and protein expression of CYP11A1 (cytochrome P450, family 11, subfamily A, polypeptide 1) and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), the two rate-limiting enzymes for progesterone synthesis in the ovary, decreased following acute stress. But metyrapone prevented the reduction of StAR expression induced by restraint stress. Overall, this study revealed that acute stress results in an increase in corticosterone, which may inhibit LH and FSH release in the serum and CYP11A1 and StAR expression in the ovary, which finally leads to the breakdown and shedding of the endometrium. These experimental findings, based on the mouse model, may enable further understanding of the effects of stress on menstruation regulation and determine the potential factors affecting stress-associated menstrual disorders.
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PMID:Acute restraint stress triggers progesterone withdrawal and endometrial breakdown and shedding through corticosterone stimulation in mouse menstrual-like model. 3060 56