Metabolic control through glucocorticoid hormones: an update

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Research
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) are key regulators of mammalian energy homeostasis.
• Aberrant GC/GR signaling is implicated in metabolic disorders like obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in GC/GR biology.
• To highlight newly discovered metabolic functions of the GC/GR axis.
• To summarize findings relevant for metabolic research.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent advances in GC/GR biology.
• Analysis of high-throughput technologies and metabolic phenotyping.
• Synthesis of findings on GC/GR roles in nutrient, protein, and bile acid metabolism.

Main Results:

• GC/GR signaling is crucial for systemic glucose and lipid handling.
• Novel roles for GC/GR in protein and bile acid homeostasis have been identified.
• The GC/GR axis plays a significant role in metabolic inter-organ communication.

Conclusions:

• Recent discoveries expand the known functions of the GC/GR axis beyond glucose and lipid metabolism.
• Understanding these expanded roles is critical for basic and translational metabolic research.
• The GC/GR pathway remains a vital target for addressing metabolic dysfunction.