Corticosterone Treatment Reduces Flk1 Expression in the Brain
Author Information
Author(s): Howell Kristy R., Kutiyanawalla Ammar, Pillai Anilkumar
Primary Institution: Georgia Health Sciences University
Hypothesis
Long-term continuous glucocorticoid exposure affects VEGF/Flk1 signaling in the brain.
Conclusion
Chronic corticosterone treatment decreases Flk1 protein levels in the frontal cortex, which may contribute to the neurobiological effects of chronic stress.
Supporting Evidence
- Long-term corticosterone treatment reduced Flk1 protein levels in both cultured neurons and mouse frontal cortex.
- VEGF levels increased in the cortex but decreased in serum following corticosterone treatment.
- Significant reductions in Flk1 and GR protein levels were found in postmortem prefrontal cortex samples from schizophrenia subjects.
Takeaway
Giving mice a hormone called corticosterone for a long time makes a brain protein called Flk1 go down, which might be important for understanding stress effects on the brain.
Methodology
The study involved in vitro and in vivo experiments examining the effects of corticosterone on Flk1 signaling in cultured neurons and mouse brain tissue.
Potential Biases
Potential confounding factors related to postmortem sample collection and analysis.
Limitations
The study's sample size for human subjects was small and demographic variables were not well matched.
Participant Demographics
The study included postmortem samples from schizophrenia subjects and control subjects, with no significant differences in age, gender, or other confounding variables.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website