1
|
Shida A, Ikeda T, Tani N, Morioka F, Aoki Y, Ikeda K, Watanabe M, Ishikawa T. Cortisol levels after cold exposure are independent of adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0218910. [PMID: 32069307 PMCID: PMC7028257 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously showed that postmortem serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were significantly higher in cases of hypothermia (cold exposure) than other causes of death. This study examined how the human hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and specifically cortisol, responds to hypothermia. Human samples: Autopsies on 205 subjects (147 men and 58 women; age 15-98 years, median 60 years) were performed within 3 days of death. Cause of death was classified as either hypothermia (cold exposure, n = 14) or non-cold exposure (controls; n = 191). Cortisol levels were determined in blood samples obtained from the left and right cardiac chambers and common iliac veins using a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. Adrenal gland tissues samples were stained for cortisol using a rabbit anti-human polyclonal antibody. Cell culture: AtT20, a mouse ACTH secretory cell line, and Y-1, a corticosterone secretory cell line derived from a mouse adrenal tumor, were analyzed in mono-and co-culture, and times courses of ACTH (in AtT20) and corticosterone (in Y-1) secretion were assessed after low temperature exposure mimicking hypothermia and compared with data for samples collected postmortem for other cases of death. However, no correlation between ACTH concentration and cortisol levels was observed in hypothermia cases. Immunohistologic analyses of samples from hypothermia cases showed that cortisol staining was localized primarily to the nucleus rather than the cytoplasm of cells in the zona fasciculata of the adrenal gland. During both mono-culture and co-culture, AtT20 cells secreted high levels of ACTH after 10-15 minutes of cold exposure, whereas corticosterone secretion by Y-1 cells increased slowly during the first 15-20 minutes of cold exposure. Similar to autopsy results, no correlation was detected between ACTH levels and corticosterone secretion, either in mono-culture or co-culture experiments. These results suggested that ACTH-independent cortisol secretion may function as a stress response during cold exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alissa Shida
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Tomoya Ikeda
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan
- Forensic Autopsy Section, Medico-legal Consultation and Postmortem Investigation Support Center (MLCPI-SC), Osaka, Japan
| | - Naoto Tani
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan
- Forensic Autopsy Section, Medico-legal Consultation and Postmortem Investigation Support Center (MLCPI-SC), Osaka, Japan
| | - Fumiya Morioka
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yayoi Aoki
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kei Ikeda
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan
| | - Miho Watanabe
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan
- Laboratory of Clinical Regenerative Medicine Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Health and Medical Science Innovation laboratory, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takaki Ishikawa
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan
- Forensic Autopsy Section, Medico-legal Consultation and Postmortem Investigation Support Center (MLCPI-SC), Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abstract
Glucocorticoid responses are known to be altered during development and aging in many tissues. Therefore, in the past several years considerable attention has been given to determining if glucocorticoid receptors are altered with age. In this review, studies concerning glucocorticoid receptor ontogenic and age-dependent changes in number, affinity and physicochemical properties are summarized. In addition, possible mechanisms of age-related changes in the receptor are discussed along with future goals and approaches which may be of great importance in this area of research.
Collapse
|