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Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Stress Response and Resilience 2.0

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2022) | Viewed by 6055

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Guest Editor
Department of Bioregulatory Science (Physiology), Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
Interests: orchestration in stress response focused on the HPA-axis; inharmonious in post-growth stress response due to fetal malnutrition based on the DOHaD theory
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A variety of stressors induce various physiological responses by stimulating sympathetic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral systems. While stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, it suppresses the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Stress also modulates the immune system. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus plays a central role in regulating the stress response. CRF stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary. ACTH stimulates the secretion of glucocorticoids from the adrenal glands. The activated HPA axis is suppressed by the negative feedback effect of glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids are essential for stress coping, stress resilience, and homeostasis. The stressed state may be relieved or reduced by an action, medicine, or therapy. The molecular mechanisms underlying stress response and resilience, however, are not fully understood. This Special Issue is focused on stress response and resilience, and will include original research articles and reviews on aspects related to their molecular mechanisms.

Dr. Takahiro Nemoto
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • stress
  • resilience
  • relaxant
  • hypothalamus
  • CRF
  • ACTH
  • glucocorticoid

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2515 KiB  
Article
Biomarkers in the Rat Hippocampus and Peripheral Blood for an Early Stage of Mental Disorders Induced by Water Immersion Stress
by Keisuke Suzuki, Junko Shibato, Randeep Rakwal, Masahiko Takaura, Ryotaro Hotta and Yoshinori Masuo
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3153; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms24043153 - 05 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1337
Abstract
It is difficult to evaluate the pre-symptomatic state of mental disorders and prevent its onset. Since stress could be a trigger of mental disorders, it may be helpful to identify stress-responsive biomarkers (stress markers) for the evaluation of stress levels. We have so [...] Read more.
It is difficult to evaluate the pre-symptomatic state of mental disorders and prevent its onset. Since stress could be a trigger of mental disorders, it may be helpful to identify stress-responsive biomarkers (stress markers) for the evaluation of stress levels. We have so far performed omics analyses of the rat brain and peripheral blood after various kinds of stress and have found numerous factors that respond to stress. In this study, we investigated the effects of relatively moderate stress on these factors in the rat to identify stress marker candidates. Adult male Wistar rats underwent water immersion stress for 12 h, 24 h, or 48 h. Stress caused weight loss and elevated serum corticosterone levels, and alterations regarded as anxiety and/or fear-like behaviors. Reverse-transcription PCR and Western blot analyses revealed significant alterations in the expressions of hippocampal genes and proteins by the stress for no longer than 24 h, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 (MKP-1), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein delta (CEBPD), small ubiquitin-like modifier proteins 1/sentrin-specific peptidase 5 (SENP5), matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8), kinase suppressor of Ras 1 (KSR1), and MKP-1, MMP-8, nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR). Similar alterations were observed in three genes (MKP-1, CEBPD, MMP-8) in the peripheral blood. The present results strongly suggest that these factors may serve as stress markers. The correlation of these factors in the blood and brain may enable the evaluation of stress-induced changes in the brain by blood analysis, which will contribute to preventing the onset of mental disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Stress Response and Resilience 2.0)
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17 pages, 3763 KiB  
Article
Activation of Inflammatory Networks in the Lungs Caused by Chronic Cold Stress Is Moderately Attenuated by Glucose Supplementation
by Teng Teng, Hao Yang, Tianqi Xu, Guodong Sun, Xin Song, Guangdong Bai and Baoming Shi
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(18), 10697; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms231810697 - 14 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1386
Abstract
Mammals that live in cold climates endure months of exposure to low temperature in the winter. The incidence of respiratory diseases has increased. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic cold stress on lung inflammatory networks, apoptosis, and [...] Read more.
Mammals that live in cold climates endure months of exposure to low temperature in the winter. The incidence of respiratory diseases has increased. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic cold stress on lung inflammatory networks, apoptosis, and mitochondrial function via Yorkshire pig models, as well as the ameliorative effect of glucose as energy supplements. Here, two trials were conducted (chronic cold stress and glucose supplementation). The results showed that chronic cold stress induced obvious inflammatory cell infiltration in the lungs and damaged the lung tissue structure. Compared with the Y-Con group, the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), nucleotide-binding domain, and leucine-rich repeat protein 3 (NLRP3), IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, and IFN-γ in the lungs of the Y-CS group was enhanced by chronic cold stress (p < 0.05). Moreover, chronic cold stress promoted the expression of the Bax and Mfn2 in lungs of Y-CS group (p < 0.05). Interestingly, dietary glucose supplementation significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the lungs. Moreover, glucose supplementation inhibited the expression of TLR4, MyD88, HMGB1, NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ, and Bax during chronic cold stress. In conclusion, chronic cold stress promoted inflammatory networks, apoptosis, and mitochondrial fusion in the lungs. Dietary glucose supplementation inhibited the inflammatory network during chronic cold stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Stress Response and Resilience 2.0)
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10 pages, 4015 KiB  
Article
Mutual Effects of Orexin and Bone Morphogenetic Proteins on Gonadotropin Expression by Mouse Gonadotrope Cells
by Yoshiaki Soejima, Nahoko Iwata, Nanako Nakayama, Shinichi Hirata, Yasuhiro Nakano, Koichiro Yamamoto, Atsuhito Suyama, Kohei Oguni, Takahiro Nada, Satoshi Fujisawa and Fumio Otsuka
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(17), 9782; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23179782 - 29 Aug 2022
Viewed by 1208
Abstract
Orexin plays a key role in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness and in feeding behavior in the central nervous system, but its receptors are expressed in various peripheral tissues including endocrine tissues. In the present study, we elucidated the effects of orexin [...] Read more.
Orexin plays a key role in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness and in feeding behavior in the central nervous system, but its receptors are expressed in various peripheral tissues including endocrine tissues. In the present study, we elucidated the effects of orexin on pituitary gonadotropin regulation by focusing on the functional involvement of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and clock genes using mouse gonadotrope LβT2 cells that express orexin type 1 (OX1R) and type 2 (OX2R) receptors. Treatments with orexin A enhanced LHβ and FSHβ mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner in the absence of GnRH, whereas orexin A in turn suppressed GnRH-induced gonadotropin expression in LβT2 cells. Orexin A downregulated GnRH receptor expression, while GnRH enhanced OX1R and OX2R mRNA expression. Treatments with orexin A as well as GnRH increased the mRNA levels of Bmal1 and Clock, which are oscillational regulators for gonadotropin expression. Of note, treatments with BMP-6 and -15 enhanced OX1R and OX2R mRNA expression with upregulation of clock gene expression. On the other hand, orexin A enhanced BMP receptor signaling of Smad1/5/9 phosphorylation through upregulation of ALK-2/BMPRII among the BMP receptors expressed in LβT2 cells. Collectively, the results indicate that orexin regulates gonadotropin expression via clock gene expression by mutually interacting with GnRH action and the pituitary BMP system in gonadotrope cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Stress Response and Resilience 2.0)
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18 pages, 3330 KiB  
Article
Dietary Glucose Ameliorates Impaired Intestinal Development and Immune Homeostasis Disorders Induced by Chronic Cold Stress in Pig Model
by Guodong Sun, Xin Song, Yingbin Zou, Teng Teng, Lin Jiang and Baoming Shi
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(14), 7730; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23147730 - 13 Jul 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1734
Abstract
Endotherms are easily challenged by chronic cold stress. In this study, the development and injury of the small intestine in the Min pig model and Yorkshire pig model under chronic cold stress, and the molecular mechanisms by which glucose supplementation reduces small intestinal [...] Read more.
Endotherms are easily challenged by chronic cold stress. In this study, the development and injury of the small intestine in the Min pig model and Yorkshire pig model under chronic cold stress, and the molecular mechanisms by which glucose supplementation reduces small intestinal mucosal damage were investigated. The results showed that morphological structure lesions of the jejunal mucosa and ileal mucosa were visible in Yorkshire pigs under chronic cold stress. Meanwhile, the Occludin mRNA and protein expression in jejunal mucosa of Yorkshire pigs was decreased. Chronic cold stress enhanced the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), the myeloid differentiation main response 88 (MyD88), nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat protein 3 (NLRP3), cleaved caspase-1, mature-IL-1β, and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB 1) mRNA and protein expression in jejunal mucosa of Yorkshire pigs, whereas the mRNA and protein of Bax was triggered in ileal mucosa. In Min pigs, no such deleterious consequences were observed. Dietary glucose supplementation ameliorates small intestinal mucosal injury, declined TLR4 and MyD88 expression in jejunal mucosa. In conclusion, chronic cold stress induced the small intestinal mucosa damage in Yorkshire pigs, whereas glucose supplementation mitigated the deleterious effects of chronic cold stress on the small intestine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Stress Response and Resilience 2.0)
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