Endocrine Abstracts

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is the primary neuroendocrine system activated to establish homeostasis during the stress of critical illness and surgery. However, such critical states also trigger a systemic inflammatory activation that usually precedes the release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol. Systemically or locally induced inflammation of the adrenal gland had been described during critical illness. This facilitates...

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is the primary neuroendocrine system activated to establish homeostasis during the stress of critical illness and surgery. However, such critical states also trigger a systemic inflammatory activation that usually precedes the release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol. Systemically or locally induced inflammation of the adrenal gland had been described during critical illness. This facilitates...

ACTH signalling at the adrenal zona fasciculata induces rapid synthesis of glucocorticoids, accompanied by rapid transcription of genes encoding steroidogenic enzymes, including the labile, rate-limiting protein, StAR protein. ACTH induction of StAR transcription has been demonstrated to be predominantly CREB-dependent, and this mechanism is regulated by both CREB phosphorylation and its binding to the CREB co-activator TORC (transducer of regulated CREB activity, also known a...