Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
12:59

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes

Published on: September 26, 2013

Tissue expression of steroid hormone receptors is associated with differential immune responsiveness

Cherié L Butts1, Yava L Jones, Jean K Lim

  • 1National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. cherie.butts@fda.hhs.gov

Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
|November 16, 2010
PubMed

Glucocorticoids have been used as treatments against a number of diseases, especially autoimmune/inflammatory conditions in which the immune system is overactive. These treatments have varying degrees of responsiveness among individuals and in different tissues (including brain); therefore, it is important to determine what could account for these differences. In this study, we evaluated expression of stress hormone receptors in immune cells from lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues (including brain) as a possible explanation. We analyzed leukocytes (CD45(+)) in kidney, liver, spleen, and thymus tissues from healthy mice for expression of the receptor for stress hormone (glucocorticoid-GR) as well as other steroid hormones (androgen-AR, progesterone-PR) and found that all tissues expressed these steroid hormone receptors but with varying patterns. To determine whether tissue-specific differences were related to immune cell composition, we examined steroid hormone receptor expression in T lymphocytes from each of these tissues and found similar patterns of expression in these cells regardless of tissue source. Because glucocorticoids can also impact brain function, we further examined expression of the stress hormone receptor in brain tissue and found GR expressed in immune cells at this site. In order to investigate the potential impact in an area of neuropathology, we utilized a mouse model of West Nile Virus (WNV). We observed pathological changes in brains of WNV-infected animals and T lymphocytes in the areas of inflammation; however, these cells did not express GR. These data indicate that tissue-specific differences in steroid hormone receptor expression by immune cells could determine responsiveness to steroid hormone treatment.

More Related Videos

Biochemical Reconstitution of Steroid Receptor•Hsp90 Protein Complexes and Reactivation of Ligand Binding11:07

Biochemical Reconstitution of Steroid Receptor•Hsp90 Protein Complexes and Reactivation of Ligand Binding

Published on: September 21, 2011

Isolation, Fixation, and Immunofluorescence Imaging of Mouse Adrenal Glands08:37

Isolation, Fixation, and Immunofluorescence Imaging of Mouse Adrenal Glands

Published on: October 2, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Target Cell Response to Hormones01:22

Target Cell Response to Hormones

Hormones intricately bind to receptors on the surface or within target cells, initiating a cascade of cellular responses.
Notably, the cellular response can be regulated by altering the number of receptors expressed in the cell. For example, prolonged exposure to elevated hormone levels results in a gradual decline or down-regulation in the number of receptors for that specific hormone on the cell surface. Conversely, in response to low hormone levels, cells may use up-regulation, producing an...
Diversity of Antigen Receptors01:28

Diversity of Antigen Receptors

Antigen receptors are essential components of the immune system crucial in defending the body against foreign invaders. These receptors are present on the surface of B and T cells, enabling them to recognize antigens and mount an appropriate immune response.
Before encountering any antigen, lymphocytes express these receptors. On B cells, the antigen receptor is a membrane-bound antibody molecule called BCR; on T cells, it is a T cell receptor or TCR. B and T cell receptors are composed of two...
Signal Transduction: Overview01:26

Signal Transduction: Overview

Cells respond to many types of information, often through receptor proteins positioned on the membrane. They respond to chemical signals, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and other signaling molecules, initiating a series of molecular reactions to produce an appropriate response. This is called signal transduction. Cells also coordinate different responses elicited by the same signaling molecule via mediators, allowing molecular cross-talk.
Typically, signal transduction involves three...
Intracellular Hormone Receptors01:08

Intracellular Hormone Receptors

Lipid-soluble hormones diffuse across the plasma and nuclear membrane of target cells to bind to their specific intracellular receptors. These receptors act as transcription factors that regulate gene expression and protein synthesis in the target cell
Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors01:31

Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors

Nuclear receptors, or NRs, are unique transcription factors that regulate gene transcription and affect the cellular pathways involved in reproduction, development, or metabolism. Their ability to be stimulated by small lipophilic ligands and control vital cellular processes makes them ideal drug targets. Nearly 10-15% of currently prescribed drugs target these receptors.
About 48 different soluble family members of nuclear receptors are identified that can be divided into two main classes:
Internal Receptors01:31

Internal Receptors

Many cellular signals are hydrophilic and therefore cannot pass through the plasma membrane. However, small or hydrophobic signaling molecules can cross the hydrophobic core of the plasma membrane and bind to internal, or intracellular, receptors that reside within the cell. Many mammalian steroid hormones use this mechanism of cell signaling, as does nitric oxide (NO) gas.