Cited by 82Stress Responses and CortisolAdrenal Hormones and DisordersDrug Transport and Resistance Mechanisms

Suppression of the HPA axis during cholestasis can be attributed to hypothalamic bile acid signaling

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McMillin, Matthew, Frampton, Gabriel, Quinn, Matthew, Divan, Ali, Grant, Stephanie, Patel, Nisha, Newell-Rogers, Karen, DeMorrow, Sharon·2015·Molecular Endocrinology

Abstract

Suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been shown to occur during cholestatic liver injury. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that in a model of cholestasis, serum bile acids gain entry into the brain via a leaky blood brain barrier and that hypothalamic bile acid content is increased. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to determine the effects of bile acid signaling on the HPA axis. The data presented show that HPA axis suppression during cholestatic liver injury, specifically circulating corticosterone levels and hypothalamic corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) expression, can be attenuated by administration of the bile acid sequestrant cholestyramine. Secondly, treatment of hypothalamic neurons with various bile acids suppressed CRH expression and secretion in vitro. However, in vivo HPA axis suppression was only evident after the central injection of the bile acids taurocholic acid or glycochenodeoxycholic acid but not the other bile acids studied. Furthermore, we demonstrate that taurocholic acid and glycochenodeoxycholic acid are exerting their effects on hypothalamic CRH expression after their uptake through the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter and subsequent activation of the glucocorticoid receptor. Taken together with previous studies, our data support the hypothesis that during cholestatic liver injury, bile acids gain entry into the brain, are transported into neurons through the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter and can activate the glucocorticoid receptor to suppress the HPA axis. These data also lend themselves to the broader hypothesis that bile acids may act as central modulators of hypothalamic peptides that may be altered during liver disease.

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  • Cholestasis is associated with suppression of the HPA axis, likely due to BA interactions with glucocorticoid receptors in the brain.

    “Cholestasis, associated with suppression of the HPA axis, likely due to BA interactions with glucocorticoid receptors in the brain (299, 312).”

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Authors
McMillin, M., Frampton, G., Quinn, M., Divan, A., Grant, S., Patel, N., Newell-Rogers, K., & DeMorrow, S.
Affiliations
  • Texas A&M Health Science Center (US)
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
  • Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple (US)
  • Department of Surgery (A.D., M.K.N.-R.), Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple 76508, Texas
Corresponding author
DeMorrow, Sharon
Venue
Molecular Endocrinology
Published
2015-12-01
Volume
29
Issue
12
Pages
1720-1730
ISSN
  • 0888-8809 (ISSN-L)
  • 1944-9917
OpenAlex
W2181744396
Cited by
82
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 3
FWCI
3.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Molecular Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (I01 BX002638, BX002638, BX002638-01, DK082435)
  • National Institutes of Health (BX002638)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK078532, DK082435, R01DK082435, K01DK078532)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adrenal Hormones and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Drug Transport and Resistance Mechanisms
Keywords
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, cholestasis, bile acid signaling, corticotropin-releasing factor, cholestyramine, taurocholate, glycochenodeoxycholic acid, ASBT, glucocorticoid receptor, corticosterone, blood-brain barrier, hypothalamic neurons, cholestatic liver injury
MeSH terms
Animals, Bile Acids and Salts, Cholestyramine Resin, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Hypothalamus, Male, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Rats

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