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Glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in high trained compared to low trained athletes and untrained subjects

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Abstract

Background: Physiological needs during prolonged exercise are a potent stimulus for the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal (HPA) axis. Hence, athletes undergoing daily endurance training sessions may have frequent and prolonged phases of endogenous hypercortisolism. Since chronic glucocorticoids treatment leads to down-regulation of glucocorticoid receptor α (GR-α) mRNA expression, endurance training could lead to modulation of GR expression. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate GR-α and GR-β mRNA expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and plasma cortisol, ACTH and cortisol binding globulin (CBG) concentrations at rest in subjects undergoing different training regimes. Subjects and methods: Nine high trained (HT) swimmers (training volume: 21.6±1.7 hours/week in 10–12 sessions) were compared with two age-matched control groups represented by 8 low trained (LT) runners (training volume: 6.4±2.6 h/week in 3–5 sessions) and 9 untrained subjects. Expression of GR was determined by RT-PCR of total RNA. Hormone levels were determined by radioimmunoassay methods. Results: HT athletes showed 10 times less GR-a mRNA expression than the untrained subjects, while LT athletes exhibited values about twofold less than the untrained subjects. GR-β mRNA expression was undetectable in all subjects. No differences were observed among the three groups in hormone levels. Conclusions: GR-a mRNA expression is repressed in proportion to the amount and frequency of the stressful stimuli due to training. Hence, this down-regulation may be a consequence of the frequent and prolonged exposure to cortisol acute elevations induced by training. GR-β did not play an important role in inducing the down-regulation of GR-a mRNA expression observed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

    M. Bonifazi MD,PhD, M. Mencarelli, V. Fedele, I. Ceccarelli, A. Pecorelli, A. M. Aloisi & M. Muscettola

  2. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

    G. Grasso

Authors
  1. M. Bonifazi MD,PhD
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  2. M. Mencarelli
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  3. V. Fedele
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  4. I. Ceccarelli
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  5. A. Pecorelli
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  6. G. Grasso
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  7. A. M. Aloisi
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  8. M. Muscettola
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Correspondence to M. Bonifazi MD,PhD.

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Bonifazi, M., Mencarelli, M., Fedele, V. et al. Glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in high trained compared to low trained athletes and untrained subjects. J Endocrinol Invest 32, 816–820 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03345751

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03345751

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