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de Kloet ER. Glucocorticoid feedback paradox: a homage to Mary Dallman. Stress 2023; 26:2247090. [PMID: 37589046 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2023.2247090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
As the end product of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the glucocorticoid hormones cortisol and corticosterone coordinate circadian activities, stress-coping, and adaptation to change. For this purpose, the hormone promotes energy metabolism and controls defense reactions in the body and brain. This life-sustaining action exerted by glucocorticoids occurs in concert with the autonomic nervous and immune systems, transmitters, growth factors/cytokines, and neuropeptides. The current contribution will focus on the glucocorticoid feedback paradox in the HPA-axis: the phenomenon that stress responsivity remains resilient if preceded by stress-induced secretion of glucocorticoid hormone, but not if this hormone is previously administered. Furthermore, in animal studies, the mixed progesterone/glucocorticoid antagonist RU486 or mifepristone switches to an apparent partial agonist upon repeated administration. To address these enigmas several interesting phenomena are highlighted. These include the conditional nature of the excitation/inhibition balance in feedback regulation, the role of glucose as a determinant of stress responsivity, and the potential of glucocorticoids in resetting the stress response system. The analysis of the feedback paradox provides also a golden opportunity to review the progress in understanding the role of glucocorticoid hormone in resilience and vulnerability during stress, the science that was burned deeply in Mary Dallman's emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edo Ronald de Kloet
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Meijer OC, Kooijman S, Kroon J, Winter EM. The importance of the circadian trough in glucocorticoid signaling: a variation on B-flat. Stress 2023; 26:2275210. [PMID: 37874158 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2023.2275210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid hormones are essential for health, but overexposure may lead to many detrimental effects, including metabolic, psychiatric, and bone disease. These effects may not only be due to increased overall exposure to glucocorticoids, but also to elevated hormone levels at the time of the physiological circadian trough of glucocorticoid levels. The late Mary Dallman developed a model that allows the differentiation between the effects of overall 24-hour glucocorticoid overexposure and the effects of a lack of circadian rhythmicity. For this, she continuously treated rats with a low dose of corticosterone (or "B"), which leads to a constant hormone level, without 24-hour overexposure using subcutaneously implanted pellets. The data from this "B-flat" model suggest that even modest elevations of glucocorticoid signaling during the time of the normal circadian trough of hormone secretion are a substantial contributor to the negative effects of glucocorticoids on health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onno C Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Kooijman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Kroon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth M Winter
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Viho EMG, Punt AM, Distel B, Houtman R, Kroon J, Elgersma Y, Meijer OC. The Hippocampal Response to Acute Corticosterone Elevation Is Altered in a Mouse Model for Angelman Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010303. [PMID: 36613751 PMCID: PMC9820460 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder, caused by the neuronal absence of the ubiquitin protein ligase E3A (UBE3A). UBE3A promotes ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation and functions as a transcriptional coregulator of nuclear hormone receptors, including the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Previous studies showed anxiety-like behavior and hippocampal-dependent memory disturbances in AS mouse models. Hippocampal GR is an important regulator of the stress response and memory formation, and we therefore investigated whether the absence of UBE3A in AS mice disrupted GR signaling in the hippocampus. We first established a strong cortisol-dependent interaction between the GR ligand binding domain and a UBE3A nuclear receptor box in a high-throughput interaction screen. In vivo, we found that UBE3A-deficient AS mice displayed significantly more variation in circulating corticosterone levels throughout the day compared to wildtypes (WT), with low to undetectable levels of corticosterone at the trough of the circadian cycle. Additionally, we observed an enhanced transcriptomic response in the AS hippocampus following acute corticosterone treatment. Surprisingly, chronic corticosterone treatment showed less contrast between AS and WT mice in the hippocampus and liver transcriptomic responses. This suggests that UBE3A limits the acute stimulation of GR signaling, likely as a member of the GR transcriptional complex. Altogether, these data indicate that AS mice are more sensitive to acute glucocorticoid exposure in the brain compared to WT mice. This suggests that stress responsiveness is altered in AS which could lead to anxiety symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M. G. Viho
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
| | - A. Mattijs Punt
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ben Distel
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - René Houtman
- Precision Medicine Lab, 5349 AB Oss, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Kroon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ype Elgersma
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Onno C. Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
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