Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2015.56.104
Sex-specific chronic stress response at the level of adrenal gland modified sexual hormone and leptin receptors
Marta Balog
; J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Milan Miljanović
; J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Senka Blažetić
; J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology Osijek, Croatia
Irena Labak
; J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology Osijek, Croatia
Vedrana Ivić
; J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Barbara Viljetić
; J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Attila Borbely
; University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Debrecen, Hungary
Zoltán Papp
; University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Debrecen, Hungary
Robert Blažeković
; Department of Cardiac and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
Sandor G Vari
; International Research and Innovation Management Program Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Miklós Fagyas
; University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Debrecen, Hungary
Marija Heffer
orcid.org/0000-0001-6770-7359
; J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Abstract
Aim To compare cardiometabolic risk-related biochemical
markers and sexual hormone and leptin receptors in the
adrenal gland of rat males, non-ovariectomized females
(NON-OVX), and ovariectomized females (OVX) under
chronic stress.
Methods Forty six 16-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were
divided into male, NON-OVX, and OVX group and exposed
to chronic stress or kept as controls. Weight, glucose tolerance
test (GTT), serum concentration of glucose, and cholesterol
were measured. Adrenal glands were collected at
the age of 28 weeks and immunohistochemical staining
against estrogen beta (ERβ), progesterone (PR), testosterone
(AR), and leptin (Ob-R) receptors was performed.
Results Body weight, GTT, serum cholesterol, and glucose
changed in response to stress as expected and validated
the applied stress protocol. Stressed males had significantly
higher number of ERβ receptors in comparison
to control group (P = 0.028). Stressed NON-OVX group had
significantly decreased AR in comparison to control group
(P = 0.007). The levels of PR did not change in any consistent
pattern. The levels of Ob-R increased upon stress in
all groups, but the significant difference was reached only
in the case of stressed OVX group compared to control
(P = 0.033).
Conclusion Chronic stress response was sex specific. OVX
females had similar biochemical parameters as males.
Changes upon chronic stress in adrenal gland were related
to an increase in testosterone receptor in females and decrease
in estrogen receptor in males.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
139301
URI
Publication date:
15.4.2015.
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