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Cited by 74Stress Responses and CortisolAdrenal Hormones and DisordersCancer, Stress, Anesthesia, and Immune Response

Social Stress Desensitizes Lymphocytes to Regulation by Endogenous Glucocorticoids: Insights from In Vivo Cell Trafficking Dynamics in Rhesus Macaques

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Cole, Steve W., Mendoza, Sally P., Capitanio, John P.·2009·Psychosomatic Medicine
DOI 10.1097/psy.0b013e3181aa95a9PMC PMC3008298
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether chronic social stress can desensitize leukocytes to normal physiologic regulation by endogenous glucocorticoids. METHODS: We analyzed the longitudinal relationship between plasma cortisol levels and peripheral blood lymphocyte counts over 16 monthly assessments in 18 rhesus macaques randomized to recurrent social encounters with a stable set of conspecifics or continually varying social partners (unstable socialization). RESULTS: Animals socialized under stable conditions showed the expected inverse relationship between plasma cortisol concentrations and circulating lymphocyte frequencies. That relationship was significantly attenuated in animals subject to unstable social conditions. Differences in leukocyte redistributional sensitivity to endogenous glucocorticoids emerged within the first week of differential socialization, persisted throughout the 60-week study period, and were correlated with other measures of glucocorticoid desensitization (blunted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to acute stress and redistributional response to dexamethasone challenge). Effects of unstable social conditions on leukocyte sensitivity to cortisol regulation were not related to physical aggression. CONCLUSION: Chronic social stress can impair normal physiologic regulation of leukocyte function by the HPA axis in ways that may contribute to the increased physical health risks associated with social adversity.

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  • There is a strong physiologic correlation between cortisol levels and the number of circulating leukocytes only if leukocyte glucocorticoid receptors are sensitive.

    “The logic of the measure is that there is a strong physiologic correlation between cortisol levels and the number of circulating leukocytes only if leukocyte glucocorticoid receptors are sensitive (i.e., signaling cells to redistribute).”

    From Chronic stress, glucocorticoid receptor resistance, inflammation, and disease risk (2012) · cites this paper as [24]

    The Introduction says glucocorticoid-receptor signaling mediates leukocyte redistribution and that the strength of its association with cortisol is a measure of sensitivity. But the Results report only a weak correlation for lymphocyte counts (rS = −.20), with no significant association for monocytes or neutrophils. Thus the claim overstates the strength and breadth of the correlation. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • The indirect assessment used here correlates with blunting of lymphocyte redistribution in response to dexamethasone injection.

    “and that the indirect assessment used here correlates with blunting of lymphocyte redistribution in response to dexamethasone injection (24).”

    From Chronic stress, glucocorticoid receptor resistance, inflammation, and disease risk (2012) · cites this paper as [24]

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3 of the 89 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [20]Knipe DM Howley PM Griffin DE Lamb RA Martin MA Roizman B Straus SE Fields Virology Philadelphia Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2007

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Related

Authors
Cole, S. W., Mendoza, S. P., & Capitanio, J. P.
Affiliations
University of California, Los Angeles (US)
Corresponding author
Cole, Steve W.
ORCID
Venue
Psychosomatic Medicine
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published
2009-07
Volume
71
Issue
6
Pages
591-597
ISSN
0033-3174 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1097/psy.0b013e3181aa95a9
PMC
PMC3008298
OpenAlex
W2069396003
Cited by
74
References
89
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 10
FWCI
2.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychosomatic Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH49033, R01MH049033)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA024441, DA024441)
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA116778, CA-116778)
  • National Center for Research Resources (P51RR000169, RR 000169)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adrenal Hormones and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Cancer, Stress, Anesthesia, and Immune Response
Keywords
chronic social stress, lymphocytes, cortisol, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, social instability, rhesus monkeys, social adversity, physical aggression
MeSH terms
Animals, Dexamethasone, Disease Models, Animal, Glucocorticoids, Hydrocortisone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Longitudinal Studies, Lymphocytes, Macaca mulatta, Male, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Social Behavior, Stress, Psychological, Simian Immunodeficiency Virus, Signal Transduction, Lymphocyte Count

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