The effect of stress on regulation and regeneration of glucocorticoids in animal models differing in response of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis

Stress reaction is usually activated by the brain, when homeostasis is or perceived to be threatened. The stress signals are transmitted from the brain by two main branches; the sympathoadrenomedullary and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes and employ neural, humoral and immune pathways to cope with the stressor. Because of its potency, the stress reaction has to be precisely regulated. The HPA axis is regulated by feedback loops where its end product, corticosterone in laboratory rat and mouse, inhibits its activity. The effect of corticosterone does not depend only on the concentration of corticosterone but also on local metabolism of glucocorticoids via oxo-reduction catalyzed by the enzyme 11β -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (encoded by the Hsd11b1 gene), which intracellularly regenerates active corticosterone from inactive 11-dehydrocorticosterone, or by extra-adrenal de novo steroidogenesis of glucocorticoids. We focused on analysis of stress response in experimental animals differing in HPA axis responsivity (Fischer 344 rats (F344) vs. Lewis rats (LEW) and germ-free (GF) vs. specific pathogen free mice (SPF)) with special emphasis on regulation of stress response, glucocorticoid regeneration and influence of gut microbiota. We found that stress modulated local regeneration of..