Mapping the human corticotropin releasing hormone binding protein gene (CRHBP) to the long arm of chromosome 5 (5q11.2-q13.3)

The Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Family: Physiology of the Stress Response

The physiological stress response is responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis in the presence of real or perceived challenges. In this function, the brain activates adaptive responses that involve numerous neural circuits and effector molecules to adapt to the current and future demands. A maladaptive stress response has been linked to the etiology of a variety of disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, eating disorders, and the metabolic syndrome. The neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and its relatives, the urocortins 1–3, in concert with their receptors (CRFR1, CRFR2), have emerged as central components of the physiological stress response. This central peptidergic system impinges on a broad spectrum of physiological processes that are the basis for successful adaptation and concomitantly integrate autonomic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral stress responses. This review focuses on the physiology of CRF-related peptides and their cognate receptors with the aim of providing a comprehensive up-to-date overview of the field. We describe the major molecular features covering aspects of gene expression and regulation, structural properties, and molecular interactions, as well as mechanisms of signal transduction and their surveillance. In addition, we discuss the large body of published experimental studies focusing on state-of-the-art genetic approaches with high temporal and spatial precision, which collectively aimed to dissect the contribution of CRF-related ligands and receptors to different levels of the stress response. We discuss the controversies in the field and unravel knowledge gaps that might pave the way for future research directions and open up novel opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Profiles for long non-coding RNAs in ovarian granulosa cells from women with PCOS with or without hyperandrogenism

RESEARCH QUESTION

What is the expression pattern of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) in ovarian granulosa cells of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with or without hyperandrogenism?

DESIGN

Microarray screening of lncRNA was conducted in ovarian granulosa cells collected from women with PCOS with hyperandrogenism (PCOS-T) or without hyperandrogenism (PCOS-N) and control participants, with four samples in each group. This was followed by hierarchy clustering, gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses. Several candidate lncRNA were randomly selected for quantitative polymerase chain reaction validation in another 54 patients. To predict the regulatory effect of lncRNA on hyperandrogenism, a co-expression network was plotted using differentially hexpressed lncRNA with statistical significance (≥ twofold; P < 0.05) in PCOS-T compared with PCOS-N.

RESULTS

A total of 3000 and 1030 differentially expressed lncRNA (≥ twofold change) were detected in PCOS-T compared with control and PCOS-N, respectively. A total of 1361 differentially expressed lncRNA were detected in PCOS-N compared with controls. Corticotropin releasing hormone binding protein is consistently the up-regulated lncRNA with the highest fold-change in PCOS-T compared with either control or PCOS-N. Gene ontology and pathway analysis showed that dysregulated lncRNA in PCOS-T have a regulatory role in mitochondrial function by interacting with transcription factors such as YY1 and SIX5.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression patterns of lncRNA in women with PCOS were ascertained by microarray. Many lncRNA were differentially expressed in PCOS-T compared with PCOS-N, suggesting that they may play a key role in steroid genesis and metabolism.

Sexual dimorphism of stress response and immune/ inflammatory reaction: the corticotropin releasing hormone perspective

This review higlghts key aspects of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) biology of potential relevance to the sexual dimorphism of the stress response and immune/inflammatory reaction, and introduces two important new concepts based on the regulatory potential of the human (h) CRH gene: (1) a proposed mechanism to account for the tissue-specific antithetical responses of hCRH gene expression to glucocorticolds, that may also explain the frequently observed antithetical effects of chronic glucocorticoid administration in clinical practice and (2) a heuristic diagram to illustrate the proposed modulation of the stress response and immune/ inflammatory reaction by steroid hormones, from the perspective of the CRH system.

On the management of hyperglycaemia in critically ill patients undergoing surgery

Hyperglycaemia is a major health risk and a negative determinant of surgical outcome. Despite its increasing prevalence, the limited treatments for restoration of normoglycaemia make its effective management a highly complex individualized clinical art. In this context, we review the mechanisms leading to hyperglycaemic damage as the basis for effective management of surgical complications of diabetic and non diabetic critically ill patients.

Corticotropin-releasing factor-binding protein, stress and major depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by a dysregulation of the stress response system. A corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) hyperdrive is a consistent and well-documented finding. CRF-binding protein (CRF-BP) may play a role in the pathogenesis of MDD. CRF-BP reduces the availability of CRF by binding free CRF and inhibits CRF function at the pituitary level. Moreover, CRF-BP expression increases in the pituitary and amygdala in response to acute stress, providing an additional feedback mechanism to maintain the homeostasis of the stress response. There are different regulatory elements of the expression of CRF-BP gene that are implicated in the pathophysiology of MDD, including CRF, glucocorticoids, cytokines and estrogens. A specific haplotype within the CRF-BP gene has been associated with MDD, but confirmation of this finding is necessary. Currently, the possible role of CRF-BP in the pathophysiology of conditions that have been associated with a hypofunction of the CRF system and immune dysfunctions is unclear. Implications of the function of CRF-BP for therapeutic strategies in MDD are being discussed. An important advantage of ligands that target CRF-BP is that concentrations of free CRF can be altered without acting directly on the transmission of CRF through its receptor.

Improved detection of Dirofilaria repens DNA by direct polymerase chain reaction

Diagnosis of human infection by Dirofilaria repens, depends mainly on microscopic evaluation of tissue cross-sections and the macroscopic characteristics of the worm. Tissue degeneration and/or poor specimen preparation practices however, often render many cases of subcutaneous dirofilariasis elusive to such morphological diagnostic approaches. The early PCR protocols, developed to satisfy these complex diagnostic needs, failed to amplify dirofilariae DNA from formalin preserved material. To overcome these difficulties, we developed an improved PCR protocol using a set of primers designed to amplify a rather stable, highly repetitive D. repens-specific genomic DNA target. We report the performance of this protocol with a large variety of dirofilariae infected DNA specimens, including those extracted from formalin preserved biological material for up to 20 days. Our findings support its potential application to routine clinical diagnosis.

Mapping interleukin enhancer binding factor 3 gene (ILF3) to human chromosome 19 (19q11-qter and 19p11-p13.1) by polymerase chain reaction amplification of human-rodent somatic cell hybrid DNA templates

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is the first lymphokine secreted following T cell activation. Several transcription factors regulate IL-2 gene expression, including the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). NFAT acts at the antigen receptor response element-2 (ARRE-2) sequence in the IL-2 enhancer and is the nuclear target of T cell stimulation signals and the immunosuppressant drugs cyclosporine (Sandimmune) and FK-506 (tacrolimus), which are potent inhibitors of IL-2 gene transcription. NFAT has been cloned and found to consist of two subunits, NF45 (ILF2) and NF90 (ILF3). We have recently assigned the gene encoding the small NFAT subunit, NF45 (ILF3) to human chromosome 1 (1q11-qter and 1p11-p12). This communication reports the assignment of the gene encoding the large NFAT subunit, NF90 or interleukin enhancer binding factor 3 gene (ILF3), to human chromosome 19 (19q11-qter and 19p11-p13.1) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of ILF3-specific DNA sequences from well-characterized human-rodent somatic cell hybrid DNAs.

Mapping interleukin enhancer binding factor 2 gene (ILF2) to human chromosome 1 (1q11-qter and 1p11-p12) by polymerase chain reaction amplification of human-rodent somatic cell hybrid DNA templates

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is the first lymphokine secreted following T cell activation. Several transcription factors regulate IL-2 gene expression, including the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). NFAT acts at the antigen receptor response element-2 (ARRE-2) sequence in the IL-2 enhancer and is the nuclear target of T cell stimulation signals and the immunosuppressant drugs cyclosporine and FK506, which are potent inhibitors of IL-2 gene transcription. NFAT has been cloned and found to consist of two subunits, NF45 (ILF2) and NF90 (ILF3). This communication reports the assignment of NF45, interleukin enhancer binding factor 2 gene (ILF2), to human chromosome 1 (1q11-qter and 1p11-p12) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of ILF2-specific DNA sequences from well-characterized human-rodent somatic cell hybrid DNA.

Isolation and characterization of a human heart cDNA encoding a new member of the small heat shock protein family--HSPL27

A novel cDNA clone was isolated from a human adult heart cDNA library. This cDNA clone is similar to the small heat shock protein (smhsp) in both DNA and amino acid sequences, especially in the conserved region. Sequence analysis has shown that the putative novel smhsp, named 27 kDa heat-shock-protein-like protein (HSPL27) is a protein of 241 amino acids with a deduced molecular mass of 26.7 kDa and a deduced pI of 8.0. We have expressed the HSPL27 in E. coli and the expressed protein was found to be present in the soluble fraction of the bacterial cell lysate. Chromosomal mapping data shows that the HSPL27 gene is located at human chromosome 5q11.2.