Modulation of corticosterone and changes of signal molecules in the HPA axis after cold water swimming stress

Jing Hui Feng; Su Min Sim; Jung Seok Park; Jae Seung Hong; HongWon Suh

doi:10.1080/19768354.2021.1890211

Modulation of corticosterone and changes of signal molecules in the HPA axis after cold water swimming stress

Anim Cells Syst (Seoul). 2021 Feb 23;25(1):37-45. doi: 10.1080/19768354.2021.1890211.

Authors

Jing Hui Feng¹, Su Min Sim¹, Jung Seok Park², Jae Seung Hong², HongWon Suh¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacology and Institute of Natural Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chun-Cheon, South Korea.
² Department of Physical Education, Hallym University, Chun-Cheon, South Korea.

Abstract

In the present study, we examined the effect of cold-water swimming stress (CWSS) on plasma corticosterone levels. Mice were exposed to stress in 4°C for 3 mins. Plasma corticosterone (CORT) level was measured at 0, 15, and 30 min after stress stimulation. The plasma CORT level was gradually increased up to 30 min. Then we further examined the changes of several signaling molecules expression levels, such as p-ERK, p-JNK, p-P38, p-AMPKα1, p-AMPKα2, and p-mTOR, in the HPA axis. We observed that those signaling molecules were altered after stress in the HPA axis. p-ERK, p-JNK, p-P38, and p-mTOR proteins expression were reduced by CWSS in the HPA axis. However, the phosphorylation of AMPKα1 and AMPKα2 were activated after CWSS in the HPA axis. Our results suggest that the upregulation of plasma CORT level induced by CWSS may be modulated by the those signaling molecules.

Keywords: Corticosterone; HPA axis; signal molecules.

Grants and funding

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (2017M3C7A1020062).