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Fast glucocorticoid actions on brain: back to the future
1Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA. mary.dallman@ucsf.edu
Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology
|October 26, 2005
Summary
Rapid glucocorticoid effects, mediated by membrane receptors, influence behavior and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. These fast actions may represent ancient, primordial glucocorticoid receptor functions requiring further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Glucocorticoids exert rapid, non-transcriptional effects on behavior and the HPA axis.
- These rapid actions are mediated by membrane receptors, distinct from classical nuclear receptors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and argue for the significance of rapid, membrane-mediated glucocorticoid actions.
- To propose that these rapid effects represent ancient, primordial glucocorticoid receptor functions.
- To highlight the need for renewed research into the mechanisms of rapid glucocorticoid signaling.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on rapid glucocorticoid effects.
- Analysis of historical and recent findings on glucocorticoid receptor signaling.
- Discussion of emerging techniques relevant to studying fast cellular responses.
Main Results:
- Rapid glucocorticoid actions are mediated by membrane receptors.
- These membrane-mediated effects are proposed as ancient sterol/steroid signaling mechanisms.
- Evidence suggests these may be the primordial glucocorticoid receptors.
Conclusions:
- Fast, non-transcriptional glucocorticoid effects are crucial for regulating behavior and the HPA axis.
- Membrane-bound glucocorticoid receptors likely represent an ancient signaling pathway.
- Further research is essential to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these rapid glucocorticoid actions.