Project description:In response to elevated glucocorticoid levels, erythroid progenitors rapidly expand to produce large numbers of young erythrocytes. Previous work demonstrates hematopoietic changes in rodents exposed to various physical and psychological stressors, however, the effects of chronic psychological stress on erythropoiesis has not be delineated. We employed laboratory, clinical and genomic analyses of a murine model of chronic restraint stress (RST) to examine the influence of psychological stress on erythropoiesis. Mice exposed to RST demonstrated markers of early erythroid expansion involving the glucocorticoid receptor. In addition, these RST-exposed mice had increased numbers of circulating reticulocytes and increased erythropoiesis in primary and secondary erythroid tissues. Mice also showed increases in erythroid progenitor populations and elevated expression of the erythroid transcription factor KLF1 in these cells. Together this work describes some of the first evidence of psychological stress affecting erythroid homeostasis through glucocorticoid stimulation and begins to define the transcription factor pathway involved.
Project description:The aim of this study was to assess whether chronic treatment with RPV can modulate the progression of chronic liver disease, especially of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), through a nutritional model in wild-type mice Mice were daily treated with RPV (p.o.) and fed with normal or high fat diet during 3 months to induce fatty liver disease
Project description:Acute stress provides many beneficial effects whereas chronic stress contributes to a variety of human health problems. The objective of this study was to use a rodent model to uncover hippocampal gene signatures associated with prolonged chronic stress which could potentially serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for early diagnosis and pharmacological intervention for stress induced disease. Mice were subjected to restraint stress over 7 consecutive days and gene expression changes in the hippocampus were analyzed at 3, 12 and 24 hours following the final restraint treatment. Data indicated that mice exposed to chronic restraint stress exhibit a differential gene expression profile compared to non-stressed controls. The greatest differences were observed 12 and 24 hrs following the final stress test.
