A functional genomic fingerprint of chronic stress in humans: blunted glucocorticoid and increased NF-kappaB signaling.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chronic stressors are known to increase vulnerability to medical illness, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are poorly understood.

Methods

To identify transcriptional control pathways that are modified by chronic stress, we conducted genomewide expression microarrays on familial caregivers of brain-cancer patients (n = 11) and matched control subjects (n = 10). Analyses were conducted on peripheral blood monocytes, which are cells that have the ability to initiate and maintain many inflammatory responses. Salivary cortisol was collected over the course of 3 days as volunteers went about normal activities.

Results

Caregivers' patterns of cortisol secretion were similar to those of matched control subjects. However, their monocytes showed diminish

SUBMITTER: Miller GE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2581622 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature