Review
Neurosciences
Anita E. Autry
Summary: The article reviews the role of BDNF signaling in the cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus in relation to depression, emphasizing the consistency between hypothalamic dysfunction and depressive symptoms and suggesting areas for further research.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Alessandra Caruso, Alessandra Gaetano, Sergio Scaccianoce
Summary: CRH plays a role in regulating multiple biological systems, and is also associated with reproduction, neuropsychiatric, gastrointestinal, immune disorders, and tumor development. Further research on the physiological functions of CRH will help determine its role in human diseases and may serve as novel therapeutic targets.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Lei Guo, Yang-Jian Qi, Hong Tan, Dan Dai, Rawien Balesar, Arja Sluiter, Joop van Heerikhuize, Shao-Hua Hu, Dick F. Swaab, Ai -Min Bao
Summary: Increased expression of OXT in PVN and OXTR in DLPFC are characteristic for male BD patients. Stimulation of PVN-OXT neurons induced mood changes in mice, in a pattern different from BD.
Article
Neurosciences
Angelica Roque, Kinberli Marcela Valles Mendez, Roberto Ruiz, Edel Pineda, Naima Lajud
Summary: Maternal separation during early life has both short-term and long-term effects on neuropeptide expression and HPA axis activity in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of rats, resulting in cognitive impairments and behavioral abnormalities in adulthood.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xue Liu, Jiaqian Feng, Zhijing Jiang, Guangbo Zhang, Xiuwen Xu, Jixiu Wang, Jingwen Yang, Tianming Wang
Summary: In the neuroendocrine system, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) activates CRHRs and plays a vital role in the HPA/HPI axis. Two CRHR1 subtypes, LcCRHR1-1 and LcCRHR1-2, were identified in Larimichthys crocea genome and were found to be highly homologous to known teleost CRHRs. These receptors were found to be localized in the cell membrane and respond to LcCRH by increasing cAMP, Ca2+ and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. LcCRHR1s were expressed in various tissues, with high expression in the brain and ovaries, and shown to be specifically localized in ovarian follicle cells. This study suggests that the CRH/CRHR1 system may be involved in the neuroendocrine regulation of reproduction in L. crocea.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ewa Szczepanska-Sadowska, Agnieszka Wsol, Agnieszka Cudnoch-Jedrzejewska, Tymoteusz Zera
Summary: Oxytocin and vasopressin play important roles in the brain and peripheral organs, and their secretion is influenced by various factors. Inappropriate regulation may contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Erin Faught, Mathilakath M. Vijayan
Summary: The study demonstrates that the CRH/CRHR1 system mediates stress-induced hyperactivity, while the temporal activation of cortisol production and associated GR/MR signaling are crucial for prolonging stressor-induced hyperactivity.
NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kazunori Kageyama, Yasumasa Iwasaki, Makoto Daimon
Summary: This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms of CRF regulation in the hypothalamus during stress and stress resilience, highlighting the central role of CRF in regulating the stress response. The involvement of ACTH, glucocorticoids, various regulatory factors, and different CRF receptors in stress resilience are discussed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Zhao-Fu Sheng, Hua Zhang, Jeffery G. Phaup, PeiRu Zheng, XunLei Kang, Zhenguo Liu, Hui-Ming Chang, Edward T. H. Yeh, Alan Kim Johnson, Hui-Lin Pan, De-Pei Li
Summary: Chronic stress is a known risk factor for the development of hypertension. In this study, it was found that the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) are involved in the autonomic responses to chronic stress. Suppressing CeA-CRH neurons can alleviate chronic stress-induced hypertension and decrease elevated sympathetic outflow. Additionally, chronic stress leads to decreased levels of Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 channels in the CeA, which contribute to the hyperactivity of CeA-CRH neurons.
CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Xue Yang, Wei Wang, Xiao Tian Wang, Yi Wen Wang
Summary: The study found that intranasal administration of oxytocin had a moderate positive effect size, while intranasal administration of vasopressin had a large negative effect size, and administration of testosterone had no significant impact on cooperative behaviors. Participants with mental dysfunctions were less sensitive to oxytocin and vasopressin administration, and oxytocin administration was effective in in-group situations and for initial choices.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Alexandros N. Vgontzas, Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, Kristina Puzino Lenker, Maria Basta, Edward O. Bixler, George P. Chrousos
Summary: Insomnia, especially when associated with objective sleep disturbance, was found to be related to activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Men with insomnia demonstrated shorter total sleep time and lower sleep efficiency on polysomnography, as well as lower levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol after exposure to stress, suggesting a disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in this population.
JOURNAL OF SLEEP RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Kanako Takahashi, Takeru Shima, Mariko Soya, Jang Soo Yook, Hikaru Koizumi, Subrina Jesmin, Tsuyoshi Saito, Masahiro Okamoto, Hideaki Soya
Summary: Exercise at an intensity above the lactate threshold leads to an increase in plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), indicating a stress response. This study investigated the involvement of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in regulating exercise-induced ACTH response. Using a rat model, the researchers administered AVP and CRH receptor antagonists and observed a suppression of ACTH levels after exercise. Immunohistochemical evaluation confirmed the activation of AVP and CRH neurons in the hypothalamus. These findings suggest that AVP and CRH cooperatively contribute to exercise-induced ACTH response, reflecting the stress response to moderate-intensity exercise in humans.
NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Magdalena Meyer, Benjamin Jurek, Mercedes Alfonso-Prieto, Rui Ribeiro, Vladimir M. Milenkovic, Julia Winter, Petra Hoffmann, Christian H. Wetzel, Alejandro Giorgetti, Paolo Carloni, Inga D. Neumann
Summary: This study reveals the cellular mechanism linking the oxytocin receptor gene mutation (OXTR rs4686302 SNP) with genetic dysregulations associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The mutation leads to increased OXTR protein stability, changes in Ca2+ dynamics, and reduced activation of the MAPK pathway. Whole-genome and RNA sequencing analysis showed numerous differentially regulated genes in the mutant cells, including 429 genes associated with ASD. Computational modeling suggested that the OXTR mutation affects downstream events by altering receptor activation and signaling, consistent with the in vitro results.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emily S. Barrett, Matthew Corsetti, Drew Day, Sally W. Thurston, Christine T. Loftus, Catherine J. Karr, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Kaja Z. LeWinn, Alicia K. Smith, Roger Smith, Frances A. Tylavsky, Nicole R. Bush, Sheela Sathyanarayana
Summary: Phthalates may disrupt the endocrine pathways in pregnant women, impacting pregnancy outcomes and fetal development. This study found associations between phthalate mixtures and changes in plasma pCRH levels, with differing effects observed among women with gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Krisztina Csabafi, Katalin Eszter Ibos, Eva Bodnar, Kata Filkor, Julia Szakacs, Zsolt Bagosi
Summary: Intracerebroventricular administration of KP-13 induces anxiety-like behavior and activates the HPA axis in rats. The study found that KP-13 alters the AVP and CRF signaling, which may be responsible for its effect on the HPA axis and anxiety-like behavior.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Olexander M. Semenenko, Victoria V. Lipson, Alina O. Sadchenko, Olga V. Vashchenko, Natalia A. Kasian, Liliia Sviechnikova, Longin M. Lisetski, Mykola L. Babak, Volodymyr M. Vakula, Oleksandr Borysov, Yuliia Holota, Sergey O. Zozulya, Petro O. Borysko, Olexander Mazepa
Summary: An efficient protocol for the synthesis of novel methotrexate-betulonic acid hybrids has been developed and their structures and properties have been fully established. The hybrids showed inferior interactions with artificial lipid membranes, possibly due to their increasing lipophilicity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohadese Yaghoobi Anzabi, Piotr Cmoch, Roman Luboradzki, Zbigniew Pakulski
Summary: Friedelin and 3-acetoxyfriedel-3-en-2-one, known as friedelane triterpenoids, have been isolated from cork smoker wash solids and used as starting materials for the synthesis of new friedelane derivatives. Reduction reactions result in the formation of friedelinol and epi-cerin derivatives.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Detlef Thieme, Aniko Krumbholz, Martin Bidlingmaier, Christoph Geffert, Annika Hameder, Andreas Stoever, Matthias Graw, Annekathrin M. Keiler
Summary: Ethanol can affect testosterone metabolism and potentially influence steroid biosynthesis and blood steroid profiles. The study emphasizes the importance of sufficient time interval from food and ethanol intake during blood sampling, particularly for diagnostics in doping control.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Masanobu Murao, Tetsuo Imano, Yoshinobu Sato, Masaaki Nakajima
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jingyuan Wang, Ye Feng, Brian Liu, Wen Xie
Summary: Sulfation and desulfation of steroids are opposing processes that regulate steroid homeostasis and are involved in steroid-related diseases. Cytosolic sulfotransferase and steroid sulfatase modify and regulate steroids to affect hormonal dysregulation, metabolic diseases, and cancer.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Noah K. Babel, Brian J. Feldman
Summary: Our research identified a previously unrecognized ADAMTS1-PTN-Wnt pathway in regulating adipose precursor cell behavior. The non-muscle myosin protein MYH9 was found to be a key target of this pathway for modulating adipogenesis. These findings offer potential for developing novel therapeutics for obesity and related metabolic disorders.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martiniano Bello
Summary: This study explores the structural and thermodynamic basis of molecular recognition between ERβ and DPN and its derivatives using molecular dynamics simulations and end-point methods. The results show that the MMGBSA approach is able to reproduce experimental trends and identify eight residues that strongly interact with the ligands.
