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Updated: May 27, 2026

Biochemical Reconstitution of Steroid Receptor•Hsp90 Protein Complexes and Reactivation of Ligand Binding
Published on: September 21, 2011
The glucocorticoid receptor: a revisited target for toxins
Jeanette I Webster Marketon1, Esther M Sternberg
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, 201 DHLRI, 473 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. jeanette.marketon@osumc.edu
Abstract:
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and glucocorticoid responses are critical for survival from a number of bacterial, viral and toxic insults, demonstrated by the fact that removal of the HPA axis or GR blockade enhances mortality rates. Replacement with synthetic glucocorticoids reverses these effects by providing protection against lethal effects. Glucocorticoid resistance/insensitivity is a common problem in the treatment of many diseases. Much research has focused on the molecular mechanism behind this resistance, but an area that has been neglected is the role of infectious agents and toxins. We have recently shown that the anthrax lethal toxin is able to repress glucocorticoid receptor function. Data suggesting that the glucocorticoid receptor may be a target for a variety of toxins is reviewed here. These studies have important implications for glucocorticoid therapy.
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